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The Pure Perspective
Talking Universal Truths With Pure Management Group
the eye of the average operator in any other market, Las Vegas clubs
appear to have it pretty darn easy. But the truth probably is a little
bit different, for a paradox exists in Sin City.
While the high-end clubs in Vegas that are part of bustling casino
campuses have the advantage of a never-ending flow of new customers
with money to burn, on the flip side, these nightlife properties face a
similarly sleepless flow of new, more grandiose, more attractive
competitors rising from the desert floor, threatening to render their
concepts passé and their investments neutralized.
Beyond the unparalleled resources and general market magic available to
high-end nightclub entrepreneurs in Las Vegas, at the end of the day —
scratch that; there is no end of the day in Vegas — success typically
boils down to fundamental consumer-pleasing principles that transcend
concept, scale or funding. And in a city built on service, only those
who truly master it can succeed.
It is those winners from whom operators anywhere can gain helpful
perspectives, and one of the most successful of the pack of late has
been Pure Management Group, led by partners Robert Frey and Steve
Davidovici.
Pure Prowess
The most recent jewel in the Pure crown (it opened in August 2007) is
LAX, a high-profile destination whose investors include Christina
Aguilera — and whose opening, ironically considering X-Tina’s
involvement, was headlined by old rival Britney Spears.
Located in the Luxor Hotel & Casino, LAX occupies the space that
formerly housed Ra nightclub, enjoying 26,000 square feet for
celebrities, players and nightlife’s chic. It’s only slightly smaller
than the group’s PURE nightclub at Caesar’s Palace, a club with 40,000
square feet (for more about all of PMG’s venues, see page 24).
The main level of LAX features famous DJs Vice and AM (the latter also
an investor), as well as guest DJs, utilizing a sound system touted in
local press as the most high-tech system in the city.
LAX also is connected to the ultra-private Noir Bar and Company
American Bistro restaurant. The second floor of LAX features VIP
tables, a private dance floor and bottle service.
It’s long been said of casinos that the house always wins. And so it
would seem that any nightclub property located within a casino complex
would have more than a leg up on the average bar. But it still comes
down to people serving people, and flash and initial hype only go so
far.
We recently spoke with managing partner Robert Frey about Pure Management Group, LAX and the nightclub business in general.
NCB: When Pure Management Group first begins to create a concept, how does the process begin?
Robert Frey: You have to match the concept to what the hotel’s energy
is. We decide if it makes sense for us to be in a hotel. Then we’ll sit
down and develop what we think is the best concept for it, and then
we’ll present it to the president of the hotel.
I think that’s one of the things that make us very unusual — that we’re
able to specifically target the hotel’s certain market. For example,
Dick’s Last Resort in the Excalibur is a perfect fit. LAX was branded
perfectly to fit in with what the Luxor’s doing, with Criss Angel’s
show and what they are trying to achieve at Mandalay Bay. That whole
campus ties into what they’re doing.
Pure was a perfect fit at Caesar’s Palace, given its proximity to the
Coliseum showroom, the Forum Shops and everything and having the
balcony overlooking The Strip.
NCB: How do you feel LAX fits into the Luxor’s overall concept?
RF: (Ra, the previous club concept there) did very well, but it had
been there for 10 years. The Luxor kind of had a renaissance, in that
they were spending a lot of money re-doing the rooms and the casino
floor.
They brought in Criss Angel, who is probably considered the world’s
greatest illusionist. He’s doing a show with Cirque du Soleil. They’re
bringing in a lot of different high-end restaurants, and it connects
into the hotel in Mandalay Bay. So our strategy there was just to
create something that would keep everybody on campus.
NCB: With many major nightclubs drawing celebrity guests, what does LAX do
to take that to the next level and set itself apart from the flavor of the month?
RF: A lot of it has to do with the way we design our places and the way
they lay out. We have a restaurant next door that ties in. We have a
place called Noir Bar, which is a bar within the club. We’re doing a
third space concept that will be announced shortly, all tied into the
same facility.
So, I think we’ve just built a fun place that’s not so big that you
walk in and feel distanced from the party. Everyone in LAX really has a
good vantage point. You can feel the energy as soon as you walk in. The
way we’ve designed it is to make it so it’s all-inclusive, whether you
have a table or not.
NCB: What was PMG’s approach to the bars?
RF: The way you want to situate a bar within a club is to make it very
accessible so people don’t have a long way to go. One of the things we
do is we have nooks and crannies and secret bars people can stumble in
on. It makes you feel like you’re getting a cocktail in an intimate
space, even though it’s within a nightclub setting.
NCB: What sets your beverage programs apart?
RF: Noir Bar has really high-end specialty cocktails. You actually go
in and tell the waitress or bartender what you like, and they’ll create
a drink specifically for you.
NCB: Obviously one of the draws of Las Vegas is the high level of
service. That raises the bar for nightclubs. What is your group’s
approach
to staff?
RF: The whole experience of any place in Las Vegas, nightclub or not,
is the level of service. There’s a lot of choices in our city, and a
lot of the hotels differentiate themselves with the kind of service. I
think it’s the same in the nightclub business. Their experience starts
with their waitress, because they’re with them the whole night.
So we really try to teach them to be an ambassador as well as just
serving drinks. (The guests) feel welcome and really enjoy their
experience. You really want to create an environment that’s fun.
NCB: It’s gotten to a point where club-goers in Las Vegas expect bottle
service wherever they go. How does your group make sure your bottle
service stands out?
RF: I think there’s always something in presentation. Bottle service is
not a new concept. You expect it. So it’s how you present it and how you serve it that differentiates you in
the marketplace.
NCB: For operators who are in other
markets in the United States who aren’t tied into a casino or hotel complex
and aren’t in a resort destination such as Las Vegas, what do you think are the most important considerations
for any nightclub property that is starting from scratch and wants to be successful?
RF: The most important thing is that the place has to be fun. It it’s
not fun, people aren’t going to come back. You’ve got to make it
accessible and easy. If you’re on the third floor, and there’s no
parking, it’s not accessible. It has to be clean. People don’t like to
go to a place that’s not well maintained. You’ve got to make the
customer feel like they’re walking into a special environment.
NCB: Where do you think nightlife in Las Vegas is headed?
RF: The bar is getting raised. Once someone builds a nice hotel,
everyone wants to keep improving. I think we’re in a cycle where the
customer is going to benefit because we are putting more and more time,
effort and money into clubs. At least the major players are.
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