Bellagio Fountains Will Be Blocked for Months Ahead of F1 Grand Prix

^{The Bellagio Fountains are somewhere behind the construction (Photo: @Mic_VegasSphere on x)}

The sidewalk in front of the Bellagio Fountains will be closed for most of the year as preparations for the Las Vegas Grand Prix are underway. While F1 organizers prep the 3.8-mile race course, MGM is building the Bellagio Fountain Club.

Work is scheduled to be completed by Nov. 9, ahead of race weekend on Nov. 19-21. It typically takes about five weeks to dismantle the Fountain Club after the race, so holiday visitors may still encounter some disruption. The structure and full view should be restored by New Year's Eve.

In addition to the sidewalk closure, crews building the course will reduce southbound Las Vegas Boulevard to one lane, 24 hours a day, between Flamingo Road and Bellagio Drive. That will definitely mean longer-than-expected rideshare and taxi trips to nearby casinos such as the Cosmopolitan.

While the Bellagio Fountain Club will accommodate fewer than 4,000 race fans, its construction will affect tens of thousands of other visitors. The project will partially obstruct one of the Strip's signature views of the Bellagio fountains and force pedestrians on the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard to navigate a tighter, more congested walkway.

All the Road Closures to Expect

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is mostly run on Koval Lane and the Vegas Strip. Road closures are underway and will be moving around the area for the next couple of months. Here's a look at what's been confirmed so far:

• Sept. 14-Oct. 2: Koval overnight work
• Sept. 14-Nov. 9: Bellagio/Las Vegas Blvd. restriction
• Sept. 14-18: Harmon overnight work
• Sept. 16: Harmon/Koval work
• Sept. 20-23: bridge-related work
• Oct. 11-16: Flamingo/Koval bridge installation
• Nov. 15-24: Koval closure
• Nov. 19-21: race-week restrictions

The Las Vegas Grand Prix has set up an interactive timeline and map with construction updates, where you can also find the latest details on road closures as crews set up and break down the track. You can also get road closure updates from Clark County by texting "F1LV" to 31996.

Race organizers just released the weekend race schedule.

Bellagio Fountain Club Has an Impressive Lineup

MGM Resorts has stepped up its programming for the Bellagio Fountain Club during the Las Vegas Grand Prix this year. The temporary venue has private indoor and rooftop decks that provide guests with some of the best views of the long, high-speed straightaway and the fountains. It also features high-end culinary and beverage programs by world-renowned chefs and mixologists.

Returning chefs include José Andrés, David Chang, Mario Carbone, Masaharu Morimoto, Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Michael and Bryan Voltaggio. Newcomers include people like Eleazar Villanueva of the Michelin star-rated Joël Robuchon restaurant at MGM Grand, along with TV show winners from "Top Chef," "Chopped" and more.

Ari Kastrati, MGM Resorts International's chief content, development and hospitality officer, explained the idea behind the Bellagio Fountain Club:

"Guests aren't simply attending a race or a dinner. They're stepping into an immersive experience where world-renowned chefs, premium hospitality, and the spectacle of the Las Vegas Grand Prix come together against the backdrop of the Fountains of Bellagio."

A three-day ticket for the Bellagio Fountain Club is $8,400 per person. Unlike the race and practice sessions, single-day tickets are not available.

So why would MGM Resorts inconvenience so many people? The event has sold out every year of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, totaling a little more than $33 million in revenue for MGM Resorts.

Pro tip: One of the most underrated and forgotten locations for Bellagio Fountain content is just outside of the porte cochere. There are unobstructed views of the fountains from different levels, with Paris Las Vegas and the Eiffel Tower in the background.

Las Vegas Is Still Aspirational

"Vegas is dead" is so 2025. This year is more about Las Vegas reinventing itself as a luxury travel destination, where the best things are geared towards high rollers and big spenders.

While all-inclusive deals for Luxor and Excalibur contribute to the bottom line for MGM Resorts, the two properties only account for about 6% of the company's profit. The middle-tier and luxury resorts make up the other 94% of profit.

The biggest spenders contribute the most, and that's why the company focuses on those guests, even if it's to the detriment of the low- to mid-rollers who make up the vast majority of visitors to Las Vegas.

Why does Las Vegas allow it? MGM Resorts is one of Nevada's largest employers, with a workforce of more than 50,000.

Las Vegas has drawn visitors with the promise of glamour since the Rat Pack era of the 1950s. Most people could never experience the city exactly as its biggest stars did, but they still wanted a glimpse of that world, or the chance to feel part of it.

The names have changed, but the appeal remains the same. Visitors still want access to something exclusive: experiences associated with celebrities, high rollers and VIP culture, even when those experiences are just beyond their usual reach.

Trips to Las Vegas have often been somewhat aspirational, and it seems as though MGM is heavily leaning into that idea.