The Wait is Over
Steve Wynn watchers and pool partyers who have been waiting in breathless anticipation for his latest Strip venture will be rewarded with this weekend's opening of Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub.
The beach portion of the 60,000-square-foot venue opens Friday at 11 a.m., while the nightclub will open at 10 p.m. Ne-Yo is scheduled to give a live performance at Surrender on Saturday night.
Larry Murphy, vice president of marketing for Las Vegas Nightlife Group, expects the grand opening to not only be one of the premier parties of the summer but one of the biggest parties Las Vegas has ever seen. Las Vegas Nightlife Group, headed by managing partner Sean Christie, will operate the pool and club. Christie also operates Blush at Wynn.
"It's opening on the biggest weekend for Las Vegas," Murphy says. "I think you're going to see large crowds; there's a curiosity factor. ... People are going to want to see the finished project."
Wynn, Murphy says, has long been a Strip trendsetter whose ventures always exceed people's expectations. And, with amenities such as two-story bungalows and cabanas with climate control, this project should be no exception.
Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub are where Encore's porte cochere once was. The venue, which also incorporates Switch restaurant, was conceived last summer and cost about $70 million to build. While each provides a different environment, they're all connected and form an entertainment complex that is unlike any other in town, Murphy says.
To develop the idea, Murphy says designers visited other pool venues, taking inspiration from the things they liked. They didn't want to reinvent the dayclub concept. Rather, the plan was to "put the Wynn touch on it and raise the bar, so to speak," Murphy says.
The "Wynn touch" is easier to recognize than describe, but it involves high quality fabrics, lavish decor, exceptional service and intricacies that are often overlooked -- or bypassed -- by others, Murphy says.
Nearly every dayclub offers cabanas and daybeds. Encore Beach Club features eight bungalows and 26 cabanas with elements you won't find elsewhere, Murphy says. The bungalows are solid, 310-square-foot structures made of concrete. Some have patios, private spas and bathrooms and showers. Cabanas are about 200 square feet and have similar amenities.
The 19 daybeds are large and provide guests with a compartment to store their personal belongings. That's a feature guests said they wanted, Murphy says.
Murphy thinks the venue, for ages 21 and older, will appeal to a broad range of guests, from international travelers to locals. It will be upscale, Murphy says, but it will always be a party.
"It will cater to everyone, from all walks of life," Murphy says. "And what we're doing here, I think, is going to be a draw for locals to experience something that others can't experience."
Wednesdays will be Surrender Wednesday, an event targeting locals. Special guests will be featured. Thursday night is Dip and Dance, a nighttime pool party at the beach club.
The beach club will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and 10 p.m. to closing on Thursdays. Surrender Nightclub will be open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 p.m. to closing. Cover charge will vary by event, but will cost about $40 for men and $30 for women.
For reservations, call 770-7300 or visit the websites EncoreBeachClub.com or SurrenderNightclub.com.
Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@review journal.com or 702-380-4564.
