Las Vegas Weekly

December 31, 2008 · 10:05 AM

Dinner, fireworks and hanging out literally above Las Vegas

By Robin Leach

Photo: TVT

Dinner for 22? A chef and two assistants? Sushi or steaks? Not a problem even 165 feet high in the air overlooking the Strip!

Welcome to Dinner in the Sky, the newest Las Vegas attraction, and it debuted last night with a sneak preview by Las Vegas Event Planner President Michael Hinden. He’s invested more than $2 million to bring the European concept here to the Strip in its first U.S. location.

Tonight, Michael, who has 20 years of experience in the hospitality and event planning industry in Vegas, has booked it for himself, his family and close friends, but he tells me after last night’s successful premiere, he’ll go full time with the operation starting in April -- when the weather is a little warmer.

Until then, DITS is just for private parties and corporate convention events. He might even bring in a second 120-ton crane for another platform to hold an orchestra or other entertainment to accompany the dining experience!

Stefan Kerkhofs created the up-in-the-sky dining concept in Belgium just three years ago. He’s been planner and organizer of extraordinary attractions worldwide for 18 years and is the creative brain behind all the Fear Factor challenges.

Michael told me last night at the Polaris Avenue site nestled near the Palms and The Rio: “It’s truly a Vegas first in many ways from dining, entertainment and attractions. Dinner in the Sky fits all those descriptions. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our guests to watch the fireworks show from the most unusual vantage point.”

Think of it as a high-flying skybox that takes 22 guests hoisted by a powerful crane up to a maximum 180-feet height. The guests are strapped comfortably into leather seats secured to the dining table. In the center of the table is a walking platform to accommodate five people to serve food and champagne and take photos -- or even conduct business meetings!

Each “flight’ lasts about one hour, although Michael admits that he’s been so inundated with friends’ requests, he’s had to do 20-minute runs to accommodate all the first-nighters! He’ll operate from 8:30 p.m. today to 1:30 a.m. tomorrow.

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