Sin City nightclubs grab top spots in magazine
Las Vegas reinforced its reputation as the nightclub capital of the United States, with a 1-2-3-4 finish in the Nightclub &Bar magazine’s Top 100.
XS nightclub at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas won or tied for first for the fourth time in five years, generating more than $90 million in revenue in 2013.
XS managing partner Jesse Waits said the DJ boom has been a “huge” factor. “It brings a lot of attention and pushes our numbers up.”
The award means everything, Waits said, because it’s based on revenue and “all the other awards are won on popularity.”
He credited “the staff, the marketing team, our hosts, having the resort behind us. Steve Wynn is always pushing us to be No. 1.”
XS and Marquee tied for first last year, and Marquee won the previous year. The top 100 is compiled by nightclub consultant Jon Taffer, host of “Bar Rescue.”
Seven Las Vegas clubs made the Top 10, with Marquee at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas finishing second. Tao at The Venetian was third, Surrender at Encore (Wynn Las Vegas) was fourth, Pure at Caesars Palace took sixth, Lavo at the Palazzo was ninth, and Hyde Bellagio ranked 10th.
Hakkasan Las Vegas at MGM Grand may have challenged XS as the king of clubs, but placement in the top 100 requires being open for a year. Hakkasan and Light at Mandalay Bay, both of which opened in April, were given “honorary placement” based on their outstanding accomplishments.
Hakkasan will be awarded Nightclub of the Year at the Nightclub and Bar’s awards party March 26.
The rest of the Top 10: LIV of Miami, fifth; Lavo New York, seventh, and Story of Miami, eighth.
Other rankings: 11, Haze (Aria); 13, Tryst (Wynn); 14, 1 Oak (Mirage); 24, Chandelier Bar (Cosmopolitan); and 25, The Bank (Bellagio).
LAVIN WANTS RECORD
Pro BMX legend T.J. Lavin wants to add another record to his resume: most money raised for the Las Vegas St. Baldrick’s childhood cancer drive.
Since nearly dying after a horrendous crash in 2010, Lavin told me he’s “taken it upon myself to get more involved. If I see a homeless guy, I take him to breakfast.”
He will be at McMullan’s Irish Pub about 6 p.m. on Saturday with the X107.5 deejays.
“Whatever the record is, I hope to beat it,” he said. He said he believes the record is $6,000.
Other St. Baldrick’s head-shaving locations: Ri Ra at Mandalay Bay, Nine Fine Irishmen at New York-New York and Vinyl at the Hard Rock Hotel.
SIGHTINGS
Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame, dining at N9ne Steakhouse (Palms) on Wednesday and signing chef Barry Dakake’s shakedown door. Also dining at N9ne: Slugger Frank Thomas, who enters the baseball Hall of Fame this summer with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. ... Kerry Simon, having dinner at Buddy V’s (Palazzo) on Wednesday with musicians Alice Cooper and Matt Sorum, his mentor Jean Georges-Vongerichten and fellow chefs Wylie Dufresne, who worked with Simon at Bellagio and recently was named the James Beard Foundation’s best New York City chef of 2013 (at wd-50 restaurant), and Mark Tarbell, who has restaurants in Phoenix and Denver. Chefs Kim Canteenwalla and Bryan Forgione prepared the dinner. By coincidence, Tarbell’s “Iron Chef America” 2007 win over Cat Cora in an apple challenge was rerun Wednesday. Simon won his “Iron Chef America” challenge against Cora in 2005, when they featured hamburger. ... Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, at Surrender nightclub (Encore at Wynn Las Vegas).
THE PUNCH LINE
“One of the Knicks players, Raymond Felton, was arrested for carrying a concealed gun. That makes him the first openly stupid player on the Knicks. The cops had to arrest Felton because the only person on the Knicks allowed to shoot is Carmelo Anthony.” — David Letterman
Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or email him at norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
