Casino removing trees as F1 prep begins on Strip

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is around the corner and the Bellagio casino-hotel is days away from starting race preparations.

On Monday, work crews will begin removing the trees in front of the Fountains of Bellagio along Las Vegas Boulevard to make room for the construction of the Bellagio Fountain Club (an F1 spectator area for VIPs), according to a memo shared by the resort’s parent company MGM Resorts International. Also starting Monday, two southbound lanes on the Strip in front of Bellagio will be shut down and remain closed until December.

The Formula One event will take place in Las Vegas between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23.

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.

MGM and Bellagio said the new trees are all in planters and can be easily moved. The plants will be “safely on property and be continuously monitored and maintained,” according to the memo.

“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.

The trees will return to their places in front of the fountains before New Year’s Eve.

The Fountains of Bellagio will continue operating as usual but the F1 prep work will limit pedestrian traffic along the Strip. Beginning Monday, the sidewalk between Flamingo Road and Bellagio Drive will be closed to pedestrians. The fountain can still be viewed from the west and north sides of Lake Bellagio.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is in the second year of a three-year deal between the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and F1. The authority is paying Formula One $6.5 million per year to sponsor the race.

According to the LVCVA, the 2023 Grand Prix was the largest sporting event in the city’s history, drawing over 315,000 attendees over the course of four days. The LVCVA estimated the 2023 race’s economic impact to be $1.5 billion.

The event drew mixed responses. Some local businesses claimed the race and its multi-month preparation negatively impacted them. Locals also expressed frustration over the inflated cost of events associated with the event and high ticket prices.

MGM, among others, touted the 2023 race’s success while some Clark County officials said it exceeded expectations.

Ticket prices and Strip hotel room rates are reportedly lower for this year’s event. Industry officials say they expect demand to increase as the race draws nearer.

David Danzis can be contacted at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0378. Follow AC_Danzis on X.