Deposit Some Time at Bellagio's New Hotspot The Bank

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Poker Pro

Nightlife

by Shaena Engle

In a city that is forever upping the ante when it comes to casino nightlife, it's no surprise that when Bellagio's trendy celebrity haunt, Light nightclub, closed its doors last year, an even glitzier new club took its place.

The same group that opened Light (The Light Group) designed The Bank, Bellagio's expansive and opulent 8000-square-foot club that opened last New Year's Eve.

After enjoying a great meal at one of Bellagio's many top-flight restaurants (Sensi is a good bet, with its Asian- and Italian-inspired menu options amidst a dazzling stone, glass and water wall interior), diners can cross the casino floor to dance off calories (via a $50 entrance fee) at the new hotspot.

Guests are greeted with the same grand escalator that led them into Light, plus some gorgeous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The grandiose foyer, adorned with bottles of Cristal champagne stacked from floor to ceiling, is warmly colored with subdued lightning and is a fitting prelude to the rectangular main room.

Dramatic purple curtains and long rows of candles adorn two tiers of reserved table with an additional raised lounge and adjacent private bar. The three-story club includes an elevated DJ booth above the moderate-sized dance floor. Two huge bars dominate each end of the club, while reserved tables are located in a tiered circle around the dance floor on the first and second levels. VIP booths are set behind the bar and on either side of the glass-encased DJ booth, and benefit from bottle service.

"Just as Bellagio is known for world-class service and sophistication, the bank offers unsurpassed service in a luxurious nightlife setting," said Randy Morton president of Bellagio.

For those who don't want to drop some serious coin (bottles start at $200 with a minimum of one bottle per every four guests) on seating, the third (top) floor of the club offers plenty of standing room, complete with a nice drink rail from which you can watch all of the action. Elevated dance poles, with dancers clad in sheer white outfits, are a feast for the eyes and can be found at each corner of the club. Resident DJ David Christian plays a combination of hip-hop, rock and eclectic mixes from Thursday to Sunday evenings 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. The music is accompanied by a custom designed light show with random showerings of bubbles that cascade down upon the dancers below. You don't need to be a celebrity to strut your stuff at this nightclub (recent celeb guest include Eddie Murphy, Jenna Jameson, singer John Legend and actors Adrien Body, Kyle MacLachlan, Vin Diesel and Gary Dourdan, fighter Tito Ortiz and socialite Paris Hilton), but you probably will need to stop off at your own ATM to afford a few hours at The Bank. But then again, it's worth it. And you can take that to the bank.