READY FOR TAKEOFF

Thursday, January 12, 2006

A new, edgier era is emerging at the Mirage with its multi-themed nightclub, Jet, and restaurant Stack.
(Vegas Magazine – January 2006)
By Jacquelynn D. Powers

It’s a Sunday afternoon two months before the launch of Jet, the Strip’s latest hot-spot, and the Mirage is buzzing with activity – but not just on the casino floor. Actually, the denizens of the metamorphosing hotel are oblivious to the fact that adjacent to the slot machines, poker tables and lobby is a team of construction workers, architects and contractors who are toiling seven days a week to build out a 15,000-square-foot shell (formerly the Mirage’s accounting offices) into a world-class, multi-themed nightclub. Andrew Sasson, the man behind this endeavor – as well as Light, Fix, Caramel and Mist – is leading his merry band of enthusiastic employees (they work and play with equal zeal). Halfway across the property, that same frenetic flurry of construction is occurring at Stack (previously Moongate), the modern eatery also owned by Sasson.

A bit of background as to why this is significant, months before the first bottle of Dom Perignon has been served by a sexy cocktail; Personally, I’ve always loved the “backstage” of the nightlife world, hanging out in the office with the owners, flirting with the gorgeous doormen, chatting up the cocktail waitresses (who share the best gossip), and watching drunken patrons react like scared turtles when the lights are switched on at closing time. As a keen observer of some of the world’s hottest nocturnal scenes – New York City, South Beach and, most recently, Las Vegas – I have seen clubs in every circumstance, from heady creation to bitter demise. I have also known Sasson since his early days as a doorman at Velvet on Miami Beach and watched his ascent at establishments such as Groove Jet, Jet Lounge, and Jet East (before he headed West to redefine nightlife) and in his own life (in Sin City with Light). So, when I heard that Sasson and his Light Group were poised to debut a fresh concept at the Mirage called Jet (undoubtedly a nod to his past), it was a moment that I had to capture.

Also, it’s not often that one is allowed to watch the birth of a larger-than-life nightclub – especially in Vegas, where the corporations that run these monolithic hotels are notoriously private when it comes to construction and new projects. But a new, edgier era is emerging at the Mirage, one that is marked both by Scott Sibella’s energetic presidency and the subsequent overhaul of this landmark edifice. After all, everyone agrees that the debut of Steve Wynn’s Mirage Hotel in 1989 spurred an unprecedented revival of the Strip. Although Wynn is no longer behind this pioneering property (he sold it to Kirk Kerkorian in 2000), a sense of adventure remains despite the erosion of its hipness factor. Currently, Sibella and company are dressing up the bones of the Mirage, modernizing the late-80s-era décor with sleek and chic restaurants (including Stack), upscale gaming area and, of course, Jet.

While nightclubs have become de rigueur at hotels up and down the Strip, it was Sasson who stimulated this phenomenon more thatn four years ago at the Bellagio. That’s not to say that spots like Ra, Studio 54 and Baby’s weren’t successful – they were. But they didn’t define their properties; they were more ancillary than vital. When Light emerged, it immediately became the see-and-be-seen watering hole for stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Michael Jordan and Matthew Perry. It also spawned a multitude of lounges, clubs and bars all over Sin City, including Tabu, Forty Deuce and Tao. “Once people saw the success of Light – the hype, money and celebrities – every hotel wanted a nightclub,” notes Sean Christie, managing partner of the Light Group. “Look at what Pure has done for Caesers. Body English opened and now the Hard Rock is a different hotel entirely.”

So, will Jet “save” the Mirage from its seemingly ho-hum existence as a faded gem? Sasson, Christie and Sibella are betting on it – along with the other nascent dining venues (such as Fin and Japonais) and the latest Beatles-themed Cirque du Soleil show, which debuts this summer. Even the iconic volcano feature is being amped up with more explosions, larger fireballs and louder sounds. It’s all part of a master plan to bring the Mirage back to its former glory. “At one point, the Mirage was the Bellagio and Wynn Las Vegas combined,’ explains Christie. “It’s one of the most successful brands, and the hotel has a very loyal following. People love the Mirage; they just haven’t been here in a while. It needed a face-lift.” Most importantly, Jet, located at the north valet entrance, promises to immediately inject a heavy dose of cool with its celebrity-friendly clientele, state-of-the-art sound and lighting system and excellent service.

Already the club has boasted Kid Rock as its New Year’s Eve act (the crooner played DJ), a good two weeks ahead of its “official” grand-opening party on January 14th. Danny A (ne Abeckaser), a partner in Jet, predicts this is only the beginning of a cavalcade of bold-faced names. I don’t doubt it: This promoter/actor has strong ties to New York City’s modeling and party scene; he rolls with a posse that includes Justin Timberlake (the two are opening an Italian restaurant in Gotham this month called Destino), Vin Diesel and Mark Wahlberg. Danny A, 33, calls these A-listers the “usual suspects.” Also look for Danny A to import an influx of famous models here, including Victoria’s Secret stunner Ana Beatriz. “There’s not enough fashion in Vegas,” he says. “I’m going to change that.” Another collaborator, Chuck Pacheco, is charged with bringing in the Hollywood set. Pacheco, a producer, is making a name for himself with Alpha Dog, Timberlake’s new movie was prestigiously chosen to close this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Celebrities and models are only half the equation, however. That’s where Sasson’s phalanx of good-looking, smart, loyal, smooth, sarcastic, hard-partying and mainly male executives come into play. They’ve all been with Sasson for years, are in their 30’s and can best be described as lads, despite the fact that they aren’t British. There’s Liam Dwyer, who has worked with Sasson since the Miami days and is Jet’s director of operations, Marklen Kennedy is jokingly referred to as the director of possibilities because of his interaction with the high-end, “important” clients; his real title is director of VIP marketing. Finally Andy Masi, also a managing partner of the Light Group, overseas the company on a macro level while Christie, 31, has made Jet his sole mission for a good part of 2005. “My only goal in life is to make this the best nightclub in town,” he asserts. “I’m digging in here for a while – much to the chagrin of my liver.”

According to Christie – and his liver – the main component that will make Jet stand out in the congested marketplace is its ability to cater to every type of customer with its three-in-one concept. There are three distinctive musical themes to Jet: a 1,400-square-foot front room playing house music (with DJ Jesse Saunders): the main room with its two stages, oversized DJ booth and jamming dance floor; and the back room, where rock ‘n’ roll will reign supreme with DJ Stretch Armstrong making bimonthly appearances. “We have to do something different,” Christie emphasizes. “The places I go to – Tao, Pure, Body English – all play the same music. Don’t get me wrong; I like 50 Cent, too. But sometimes you want to hear rock ‘n’ roll or house music.” And the quality will be crystal clear, as EAW, the leader in sound, has designed a spanking new system for the club, the Jet series, which will be the industry standard for those who can afford it.

Another unique feature of the club can be found above the dance floor of the 10,000 square-foot main room: Nightlife guru John Lyons customized an illumination grid for this space. The grid contains 50 individual squares that can be combined to display logos over the dance floor, images (such as a streak of lightning), or every spectrum of the rainbow. Or each square can individually project varying elements; there are endless possibilities for this one-of-a-kind application. In the main room, also look out for blasts of pure oxygen that flood the club with energy. It’s a dramatic – and expensive – effect that will only be used a few times a night. If that’s too trippy for you, don’t worry: Unlike other clubs out there that simply amplify the music and rely on the lights of the dominant room to electrify the whole space, each of the three rooms has its own individual sound and lighting system. No two vibes are the same. Far less high-tech is their photo booth, more of a conversation piece supplying supplying keepsakes from the night than anything else. “People do freaky things in a photo booth,” Christie winks.

The décor, which was orchestrated by Jeffery Beers (of Tabu and Rum Jungle fame), is also sexy and playful, with design elements like stone walls with carved-out niches teeming with candles and Makassar-ebony-wood “ribs” decorating the entrance and extending over both bars in the main room. These tiger-striped overhangs actually fill up the space and make this mammoth area feel intimate, despite the fact that it holds 1,500 revelers. (Jet’s capacity is 2,000 people; by comparison, Light is 550.) In the triangular-shaped back room (which measures 2,000 square feet), the Makassar-ebony wood appears again on the walls and DJ booth. The bar features luxurious red tiles and a salmon-colored granite top. (“Don’t call it salmon,” Sasson corrects me. “That’s a horrible-sounding word for a bar. Call it coral.”) During my last pre-opening tour, the front room seemed sparse and in flux. Red wallpaper particularly offended Sasson – more so than my salmon faux pas – and he admonished his staff to “tear that tacky shit down – now.”

If it all sounds expensive, it is. Although Christie won’t reveal the final price tag, he does divulge that the sound and lighting budget was $1 million. But that’s nothing compared to their competitors, who regularly drop $20 million on nightlife complexes (think Pure next door). Sasson, however, is known for his frugality; it is built into his company’s culture. Four years ago, Light was built for $2.5 million. More recently, Caramel (also at the Bellagio) cost $400,000. “It’s a different day,” Christie acknowledges. “People are building spectacular things all over town. But we don’t spend money foolishly. We are tightfisted, and the extravagant features have to make sense.” What is more germane to these veteran night crawlers – another facet of their philosophy is club-hopping – is keeping their customer happy. To that end, Jet’s staff of 100 has literally been schooled in the art of service. And each of the 30 cocktail waitresses only attends to two to three tables at a time. “Expect service to be on par with Light from day one,” adds Christie.

“It will be the most glamorous club in Las Vegas,” Danny A says. “And I will be bringing all of the beautiful people.” Already, local scenester Johnny Brenden (who owns Brenden Theaters at the Palms) booked the first table at Jet on December 31st. “For the last seven years I have been going to Aspen for New Year’s,” Brenden notes, “but I heard great things about Jet. So I decided to switch it up this year.” Initially, the club will be open three nights a week – Friday, Saturday and Monday – to service Sin City’s movers and shakers. Monday’s will serve as Jet’s “industry night,” when bartenders, cocktail waitresses and managers from all over the Strip will come to party in style.

Also adding to the allure of Jet is Stack, the hip dining room that acts as a feeder to its sister property (this synergy resembles the dynamic between Fix and Light at the Bellagio). Stack is the theme for the cuisine and décor – from the stacked bread service to the stacked bands of curved African mahogany wood that make up the walls. The entire effect mimics a canyon – in fact, the restaurant was inspired by Bryce Canyon in Utah – with ebbing and flowing dimensions throughout the 5,000-square-foot room. Featuring banquettes and round mahogany tables for 180 people, there is also a small, raised lounge at the mouth of the eatery with varied seating options (including a communal table for 16). Guests can order off the menu anywhere in the space. “It’s a noncommittal dining experience,” says Oliver Wharton, director of restaurant operations for the Light Group. (This is a perfect concept for Vegas, which is an unstructured kind of town.) There is also a private, curtained dining room located at the back for 12 to 24 diners.

Stack’s cuisine resembles that at Fix, with its playful adaptation of moderately priced, classic dishes that are meant to be shared. Chef Brian Massie’s signature items include homemade pigs in a blanket, glazed spareribs with fried pickles, miso black-cod lettuce wraps, Shake & Bake chicken wings, bone-in 14-ounce Brooklyn filet, tuna tacos with mango wasabi mojo, and the “stacked” Kobe burger with 10 ounces of Kobe beef topped with Kobe chili, onions and Vermont cheddar cheese. For a taste of the sea there is the shellfish stack, with Maine lobster, tiger prawns, clams and oysters – all flown in fresh daily. There are also adult side dishes like Tater Tots with bacon and Brie, potato gratin, and steamed asparagus. “It’s approachable, not stuffy,” Wharton says. “People eat this way now. The market is veering toward fun dining.”

Ultimately for Sasson and his team, having fun is the only option at the newly revamped Mirage. Even in the midst of many other exciting projects (including some lucrative hotel deals), Jet is the Light Group’s number one focus right now. And they take their business incredibly seriously. “We work harder than anybody else,” Christie declares. “There are no days off. The marketplace is super-competitive. Everyone is trying to outdo one another. But this is the nicest club I’ve ever been in. And I’m not being biased.”