Bellagio removing trees as F1 construction starts — PHOTOS
Work crews began removing the trees in front of the Bellagio casino-hotel’s iconic fountains earlier this week in preparation for the Formula One race in November.
Two southbound lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard in front of the property also were shut down and will remain closed until December.
Crews will soon start construction on the Bellagio Fountain Club, an F1 spectator area for VIPs in front of the fountains, according to a memo shared by the resort’s parent company MGM Resorts International.
The Formula One event will take place in Las Vegas between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23.
The trees in front of the Bellagio are in planters and MGM officials say they can be easily moved.
“We take the wellbeing (sic) of our trees seriously, and our horticulture team works with third-party experts to ensure they remain healthy throughout this process,” the memo reads.
Around this time last year, the trees in front of Bellagio were cut down so that the temporary grandstands erected along the Strip would have unobstructed views of the F1 race. Bellagio and MGM received a fair amount of public scrutiny for the decision since some of the trees had been growing in those locations since Bellagio opened in 1998.
Shortly after the conclusion of the 2023 F1 race, Bellagio and MGM brought in replacement trees. They were planted in December. However, those trees did not take to their new environment and had to be replaced in the spring.
David Danzis can be contacted at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0378. Follow AC_Danzis on X.
