Luxe Life Blog

2011 NYE photos: Hyde Bellagio’s star-studded debut, $100 balloons

Posted January 1, 2012 • 1:07 p.m.

Emina Cunmulaj, Sam Nazarian, Rick Fox and Eliza Dushku at Hyde Bellagio on Dec. 31, 2011.

Photo: Mike Tran/Getty Images

With $100 bills inside gold balloons for the midnight New Year’s drop and models preening and parading in see-through cellophane dresses, Hyde Bellagio entered 2012 with a celebrity-studded grand opening party.

Revelers were dressed to impress in black-tie attire to ring in the New Year with the sounds of DJ Devin Lucien and DJ Eric D-Lux overlooking the Bellagio Fountains.

A proud Sam Nazarian, founder and CEO of SBE Hospitality Group, said, “Tonight is an amazing night because … SBE is coming to Las Vegas, and Hyde has opened our beautiful home on the 50-yard line of the Bellagio Fountains.”

Hyde’s celebrity hostess was Sofia Vergara, best known for her role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning “Modern Family.” Looking stunning in a white shimmering dress, the Colombian bombshell said: “I’m very excited because every place that Sam does is always amazing. … I was a fan of Hyde in Los Angeles, so I’m sure Hyde in Vegas is going to be even more fabulous.”

Celebrities entered the lavish space, which Vegas DeLuxe detailed on Friday, to celebrate 2012 with close friends, among them Wilmer Valderrama, Joe Jonas, Leona Lewis, Eliza Dushku, Rick Fox, Emile Hirsch, Lauren Conrad, Stephanie Pratt, Eric Stonestreet and Amber Lancaster.

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2011 NYE: Hyde Bellagio - from YouTube.com

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2011 NYE: Hyde Bellagio - from YouTube.com

Guests settled into VIP tables as models in cellophane dresses posed around them holding celebration balloons. Just before midnight, Sam welcomed his guests as Sofia made her way to the DJ booth to lead the crowd into the 2012 countdown. As the clock struck midnight, the fountains sprayed high above the Strip, and gold-and-silver balloons filled with $100 bills fell from the ceiling.

Guests continued dancing into the early morning hours to the sounds of DJ Justin Baule. DJ Paul Oakenfold will keep the party going tonight in the first evening of the New Year. Thanks to Mike Tran of Getty Images for his photo gallery.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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