Question of the Day - 10 July 2025

No expense was spared in building the lavish Bellagio and Steve Wynn, always keen to outdo his last endeavor, wanted something in the lobby to rival the spectacular salt-water aquarium showcased behind the check-in desk at the Mirage.

As long-time collectors of Dale Chihuly's art, Steve and Elaine Wynn commissioned the world-renowned glassblower to create his single largest work, with Steve making numerous visits to Seattle to personally collaborate with the artist during construction.

The result was a 2,100-square-foot installation, celebrated not only as Chihuly's largest work, but also as the largest glass sculpture ever created. It covers approximately 2,100 square feet of the lobby ceiling and comprises over 2,000 hand-blown glass blossoms, collectively weighing about 40,000 pounds, and is supported by a 10,000-pound steel armature. ​It took more than 100 artisans, including glassblowers, architects, engineers, shippers, installers, and fabricators, nearly two years to complete the project. The price tag, though never officially announced that we know of, is said to be around $10 million.

In naming his artwork, Chihuly borrowed from the theme behind Bellagio, which is situated on Lake Como in Italy, and named his creation "Fiori Di Como" ("Flowers of Como"). He said it was inspired by the vibrant floral landscapes surrounding Lake Como.