The American Institute of Architects reports that its survey to determine the public's favorite architecture found the Bellagio Hotel and Casino to rank number 22 of 150! The press release is at http://www.aia.org/release_020707_150Buildings
The complete list is reported in the Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-poparch07-sort2.html
The Wall Street Journal sites allows you to sort by category, so by year, state, architect and building type. The Bellagio is the only building in Nevada to make the list -- not so surprising when you realize that only 21 buildings on the list were built 1997 or later.
Lots of people oooh and aahhh at the fountains in front of Bellagio, yet few discuss the irony of millions of gallons of water being thrown up into the desert sky. It is understandable but very unfortunate that there are few buildings on the top 150 list that speak to environmental design ideals. Unless we figure out how to make designing with climate, culture, and context OOO and AAAHHH the 'society' that pays us to work... more 'Bellagios' simply will not scare people into change.
I am in no way supporting excessive water use, but at least wanted to acknowledge some recycling water measures implemented by MGM...The Treasure Island supposedly reclaims water from shower & sinks in their massive pond. Most casinos, if not all, do not tap into Lake Mead's water supply, but use water from their own aquifiers. In the case of the Bellagio that was built on the old Dunes site and golf course, it is using up a pre-exisitng well. All this said, you still have to wonder when the wells will go dry.
www.kued.org/productions/desertwars/cruz_jamie.php
www.greentreks.org/watershedstv/old_cattails/lasvegas.asp