Las Vegas Weekly

February 4, 2010 · 11:34 AM

Las Vegas hotspots hit jackpot in Nightclub & Bar Awards

By Robin Leach

The lush XS nightclub at the Encore.

Photo: Barbara Kraft/Encore

It was nearly a clean sweep for Las Vegas nightclubs, as they walked away the really big winners of the 2010 Nightclub & Bar Awards announced yesterday. Our Las Vegas palaces of pleasure grabbed seven of the Top 10 spots and 11 of the Top 15!

Nightclub czar Victor Drai and his managing partners Jesse and Cy Waits won two awards for their XS in Steve Wynn’s Encore as New Club of the Year and Mega Club of the Year. Their Tryst in the adjoining Wynn ranked No. 5 in the Top 100 countdown, down from the runner-up spot last year. Across the Strip at The Venetian, TAO won the title of Nightclub of the Year. Pop the champagne and celebrate!

More than 235 entries in 14 categories competed for a panel of judges nationwide that included yours truly. Each one of us had to select our top three choices from the lists we submitted that were narrowed down into the categories. It’s the 25th year for Nightclub & Bar’s awards; the magazine sponsors the polling. A ceremony at Lavo in the Palazzo will be held March 10 to honor the recipients.

George Maloof picked up two awards with The N9NE Group properties at his Palms: The Resident DJ of the Year was Paul Oakenfold for his weekly Perfecto Vegas at Rain, and the Midsummer Night’s Dream party at the Palms pool was named Best Single Promotion of the Year.

The Ongoing Promotion of the Year went to Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel, and Blush in the Wynn won as Ultra Lounge of the Year. It also was a big day for Victor’s other Strip club, Drai’s After Hours in Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall. In this year’s Top 100 rankings in advance of next month’s Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas, the 3 a.m. nightspot jumped to No. 16, up six spots from last year.

In being named Nightclub of the Year, Tao owners Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg said: “We are thrilled that Tao has received this award and are honored to be recognized among such a large field of competitors for whom we have a great deal of respect.”

Tao opened in September 2005 with a celebrity bash lasting an entire weekend. Since the opening, many notable names have become weekly regulars at the 44,000-square-foot, multi-story “Asian City” that includes a restaurant, banquet facilities, lounge and nightclub.

Here’s the Las Vegas rundown in the Top 100: 1) XS at Encore. 2) Tao at The Venetian. 3) Pure at Caesars Palace. 4) The Bank Nightclub at The Bellagio. 5) Tryst at the Wynn. 9) LAX at the Luxor. 10) Jet at The Mirage. 11) Lavo at the Palazzo. 12) Body English at the Hard Rock Hotel. (Body English closed after a final New Year’s Eve bash.) 13) Moon at the Palms. 14) Ghostbar at the Palms. 16) Drai’s After Hours at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall. 28) Christian Audigier at Treasure Island. 31) The Playboy Club at the Palms. 32) Rumjungle at Mandalay Bay. 36) Rain at the Palms. 37) Blush at the Wynn. 45) Studio 54 at MGM Grand. 49) Krave at Planet Hollywood. 52) Stoney’s Rocking Country. 94) Tabu Ultra Lounge at MGM Grand.

The Top 5 nightclubs in Las Vegas are estimated to have raked in $245 million in revenue last year.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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