How to Pronounce ‘Fontainebleau’ in Las Vegas

Currently the most talked-about casino in Las Vegas and arguably the world is Fontainebleau. 

The 67-story block of azure glass is generating buzz for its $1,000 slot machines and $1,000 steaks. In less than a month since its long-awaited grand-opening, there’s been a shocking executive shake-up … controversy over the price of a table at its empty sportsbook … and on Wednesday, the resort announced a 2024 residency one-night show from Millennial alt-pop rockers Third Eye Blind. 

But amid so much chatter, people still aren’t certain how to pronounce it – Fontainebleau. 

As a humble news writer, I can spell it, but haven’t quite figured out how to tell other people to say it. 

Fountain-Blue, like Mountain Dew? Maybe not the worst mnemonic, but typing that I can feel the side-eye coming from pit bosses and marketing execs. Fountain-Blew?

From France to Florida

Here’s how to say the word in French, in reference to a small hamlet outside of Paris that served as a weekend getaway for kings and aristocrats since the 12th century, and is site of the palatial Château de Fontainebleau:

Not quite a millennium later, the Fontainebleau Hotel opened in Miami Beach in 1954, and quickly became a Rat Pack hangout that would become iconic when it appeared in the sweeping opening scene in James Bond’s Goldfinger in 1964.

Fontainebleau is also a suburb of Miami that USA Today included it in their list of 50 American Towns That Are Hard to Pronounce (#16) and explained: 

The word originated in French, where it is pronounced "fawn-ten-bloh." In the United States, it can be pronounced "fon-tin-bloh," although in Florida locals call the hotel of the same name the "Fountain Blue.”

Curiously, a typo on the 2000 census matched the local pronunciation, and as a result real estate websites being launched at the time adopted the Fountainbleau misspelling (with a "u"). The official government site hasn't been corrected in the two censuses since. 

Slight Tonal Variations

Fontainebleau Las Vegas president Marc Tirano seemed careful with his pronunciation when he spoke about the property a few hours before the opening.

I dunno. I’m hearing more “o” (/oh/) with just a little bit of “ou” (/ow/) … and maybe even more “tan” then “tin” … but either way, it sounds right when you let the words blur together.

Casinos.com reached out to Fontainebleau’s press team for a comment but did not hear back immediately.

Phone-Ten-Blue … PhoneTenBlue … FonTenBleau … Fontainebleau. 

Easy, right? Now let's go have a steak in a briefcase. 

Fontainebleau Responds

UPDATE: Confirmed, it's not "fountain blue" like they say in Miami. A press coordinator for Fontainebleau Las Vegas wrote back with the way to remember how to say it:

"Fontainebleau [FON] + [TIN] + [BLUE] Las Vegas."

Ahh, we were so close!