Luxury resort built on a haunted demolished casino
3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$$
Hotel rooms $80-400+/night; Gallery of Fine Art $20.52; Conservatory free
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved, Level
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1998 · Las Vegas Entertainment History · Dunes Hotel Demolition · Steve Wynn Development · Iconic Fountain Installation
The Dunes Hotel and Casino opened in 1955 as one of the Las Vegas Strip's signature properties. For 38 years, it operated as a major casino destination, hosting countless visitors and events. In January 1993, the Dunes closed its doors for the final time.
On October 27, 1993, the Dunes' north tower—standing 235 feet tall—was imploded in a spectacular televised event orchestrated by developer Steve Wynn. The demolition, handled by Controlled Demolition Inc., required 365 pounds of dynamite and 550 gallons of aviation fuel. Fireballs erupted up the east face of the tower in sequence with each floor, creating a dramatic spectacle witnessed by an estimated 200,000 spectators. The event cost $1.5 million to execute.
On the cleared site, Wynn constructed the Bellagio, named after the Italian lakeside village of Bellagio on Lake Como. The resort opened in 1998 as a $1.6 billion luxury property, immediately distinguished by its iconic fountain system—which performs nightly on the exact spot where the Dunes' tower once stood. The Bellagio became one of the most recognizable properties on the Las Vegas Strip.
Sources
Paranormal reports at the Bellagio primarily center on phenomena connected to its construction on the Dunes Hotel site. After the Dunes closed but before its demolition, staff reported experiencing cold spots throughout the resort's main tower and casino, even during warm Las Vegas nights. After hours in the lounge on the top floor, witnesses described seeing a blue glow and hearing voices when no one was present.
Following the Bellagio's opening in 1998, similar reports persisted. Guests have documented experiencing sudden, extreme cold spots in certain corridors despite the resort's climate control systems operating normally. The mysterious blue glow has been reported recurring in various locations throughout the building, appearing and disappearing without apparent cause or explanation.
Staff members arriving before dawn have independently reported hearing disembodied voices emanating from empty rooms, followed by the inexplicable scent anomalies in certain suites. Some paranormal investigation groups have claimed to record electronic voice phenomena (EVP) in the building's lower levels. Investigators have reported capturing photographic evidence of shadow figures and full-spectrum apparitions walking through solid walls.
These phenomena are typically interpreted as residual hauntings connected to the Dunes' history and sudden, violent obliteration. The temporal concentration of reports in upper lounges and corridors may correlate with areas of the Dunes that were most active before closure.
Notable Entities
Stay at the Bellagio, built on the site of the Dunes Hotel (demolished 1993). Guests report unexplained cold spots in certain corridors and a mysterious blue glow that appears and disappears without explanation. Some have documented hearing disembodied voices emanating from empty rooms, particularly in upper-floor lounges.
Explore the free 24-hour botanical conservatory with rotating seasonal exhibits. The public spaces are accessible without hotel accommodations, and the building's layout allows visitors to experience the architecture that occupies the former Dunes footprint.
Browse the hotel's curated fine art collection in gallery spaces that exist within the resort structure built atop the demolished Dunes. Open Thursday–Monday 10am–6pm.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Las Vegas, NV
Caesars Palace opened on August 5, 1966, as a $24 million landmark resort developed by Jay Sarno. It was one of the first Las Vegas properties to incorporate a fully developed Roman Empire theme and the largest hotel built as a single unified project in Nevada at the time, featuring 700 rooms across 14 crescent-shaped floors.
Las Vegas, NV
The Flamingo Las Vegas opened on December 26, 1946, under the direction of Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel, making it the oldest continuously operating resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Siegel was murdered in Beverly Hills in June 1947, just months after the casino began turning a profit. The original hotel cost far more than projected — early estimates of $1.5 million ballooned to roughly $6 million — and the syndicate's patience ran out before Siegel could see his vision fully realized.
Las Vegas, NV
The Aladdin Hotel opened in Las Vegas in 1966 as a major resort and casino property. The hotel underwent renovations and continued operations until its closure in 2003. Planet Hollywood Entertainment acquired the property in 2005, completely renovating and reopening it in 2007 as Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 7th floor Panorama Suite emerged as the property's most paranormally active location during Aladdin Hotel operations.