The Grand Canal Shoppes Are Having a Dry Spell

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For the first time since opening in 2001, the canals at the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian are running dry. The canals, which normally flow with 280,000 gallons of water that snake around the boutiques in the shopping mall, were drained for a cleaning. AP reports that tourists aren't too happy with the drained canals, which normally attract 500,000 visitors a year who ride the gondolas that grace the waters. For now, only the gondolas outside the Venetian are operating until mid-October, when the canals re-open. Interesting fact: It would take 65 days to fill the canals using only a garden hose.
· Canals Run Dry at the Venetian for the First Time [LVS]