Las Vegas Weekly

Nightlife news & notes: New Year’s Eve nightclub openings

Fergie hosts the opening of 1OAK at the Mirage on Dec. 31.

Matt Sayles, AP

It’s that magical time of year, when nightlife companies prepare to reveal the projects they hope will put them on clubgoers’ nice lists. In Vegas, New Year’s Eve doubles as a nightclub coming out party, with this edition bringing three new and notable venues to the Strip.

At the Mirage, the former home of Jet nightclub is transformed into 1Oak (that’s 1 Of A Kind), a nearly 16,000-square-foot offshoot of the famed Manhattan club by the same name. The Black Eyed Peas’ Fergie will host the grand opening bash, with 22-year-old DJ Jesse Marco on the decks to ring in 2012.

Just up the street, the New Year brings Hyde Bellagio, an offering from LA-based hospitality giant SBE (founded by Sahara owner Sam Nazarian). The upscale, indoor/outdoor lounge overlooks the Bellagio fountains and brings a different model of nightlife to Vegas, opening at 5 p.m. daily with a small-plates menu by Circo and transitioning to a nightclub at 11 p.m. The Philippe Starck-designed 10,000-square-foot club kicks things off with a private black tie soiree on December 31, before welcoming Paul Oakenfold on New Year’s Day and debuting its Lost Angels industry night on Tuesday, January 3.

And at Tropicana, Club Nikki completes its makeover and reopens as RPM Nightclub on December 30. The party will also mark the launch of WTF Fridays, with house DJs Dan, Christopher Lawrence and Donald Glaude playing throughout the night. The party is $30 for women and $50 for men, which includes an open bar from 10 to 11:30 p.m.