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Sun file photo
The Prive nightclub at Planet Hollywood.
Published Friday, July 24, 2009 | 5:33 p.m.
Updated Friday, July 24, 2009 | 6:38 p.m.
The Prive nightclub at Planet Hollywood earlier this year.
Time to purge some notes. Lots going on in the mean streets of VegasVille, and even the mean nightspot that is Liberace Museum:
Prive on its own planet
Some of the best nights, and some of the worst nights, and many nights between the best and worst, can be had at Vegas nightclubs. For about a year after it opened, I referred to Tao as “Tao -- Phenomenal” for its mind-blowing multimillion, 40,000-square-foot architectural design and the somewhat nude nymphets reclining in bathtubs strewn with rose petals. These nightclubs-on-HGH are where I’ve witnessed some truly amazing performances, chief among them Travis Barker/DJ AM (pre- and post-plane crash) at Pure and LAX, and even last weekend’s wild B-52s show, also at Pure. But the problem with the clubs in this city, and it has been the case for about a decade, is the people who act like nobody is watching the playground. I mentioned this during an interview with Fox 5 yesterday for a story about Clark County declining liquor license applications at Prive and Living Room, The Opium Group of Miami-owned clubs conjoined on the mezzanine level at Planet Hollywood.
The county’s Business License Department dished out three violations against Prive. One was for “lewd and topless” behavior (“lewd” is a word that sounds exactly like what it means, eh?). Two of the infractions centered on a security manager overstepping his authority (in these instances, by stalling) as agents were inspecting the club. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. The most frequent complaint I’ve heard about Vegas clubs over the years is the teams of dark-suited security staffers who, when given a clipboard from Office Max and a trick little earpiece, seem to believe they are actually God -- or maybe Alec Baldwin.
Alec Baldwin, nightclub security manager?
To get an idea of how club managers can behave when hit with the constable’s flashlight, yesterday I reached Greg “Greg J” Jarmolowich, Opium Las Vegas’ hotshot co-managing director, and asked him how the club planned to proceed after being right-hooked by the county. Greg J didn’t say, but referred me to Prive spokeswoman Vanessa Menkes, who he said would respond “promptly” to inquiries and even supplied her e-mail address. Menkes did respond quickly, in 23 short hours … to say she couldn’t comment.
And you wonder why drink orders at Prive take forever. Or, took.
As a result of the county’s ruling, the clubs have been ordered to cease operation by next week (or the end of the month, for The Living Room), and Planet Hollywood has already agreed to pay a $750,000 fine to state gambling regulators for the problems unearthed at Prive. It’s the first time a Vegas resort has ever paid a fine for a club it does not, in fact, own. I can’t believe the PH brass has much appetite for continuing a relationship with a nightspot that has already cost it that heavy-duty fine and some unfortunate PR. As for Prive, back in the classroom, kids. Recess is over.
Quick quiz
Which Strip production show co-star and Liberace Museum Performers Showcase regular has been nicknamed “The Media Darling” by Showcase organizer and “Jersey Boys” Music Director Keith Thompson?
Answer at the end of the bloggage.
Vanna and Pat.
Gold for Jenner!
Las Vegas local Helen Jenner put on an Olympian gambling performance worthy of former gold-medal decathlete Bruce Jenner (I just pulled a bicep making that stretch) on Thursday when she won the $1,058,092.24 Wheel of Fortune jackpot while spinning out at The Cannery. This gives us (or, me) a chance to relate answers from Pat Sajak and Vanna White from last weekend when I asked if either ever played the machine. They gave the exact same answer: “No! Can you imagine if we won?” There’d be an inquiry, probably, but what a great photo op.
Garden State connection
Clark County is about the size of New Jersey. We’re reminded about this on every news release sent out by the county, on the boilerplate. Good piece of trivia at the end of release that, for example, report nightclubs having their liquor licenses pulled.
The answer …
Thompson refers to “Jersey Boy” cast member Erich Bergen as “The Media Darling,” and Bergen had no way of defending himself during last night’s Performers Showcase at the Liberace Museum, as he was prepping for the “Las Vegas Celebrates the Music of Michael Jackson” benefit concert set for The Pearl Theater at the Palms on Aug. 29, which would have been Jackson’s 51st birthday. Freelancer Steve Friess is co-producing, and URL is emceeing (it’s Robin’s birthday, too). The media-friendly Bergen performs frequently at the museum and is in the news a lot, you see. Like, today, dahlinks.
The Gaming Control Board and Metro know that the same problems exist in other casino nightclubs. And the strip/topless clubs catch all the heat? Nevada is a one industry state, and. the Gaming Control Board continues its policy of 'selective prosecution'. Frank Shreck, the juice lawyer, is relieved "his client" only was fined $500,000 - a slap on the wrist. Executive Management cannot be allowed to abdicate their responsibilities: Attention Mr. Sayre and Mr. Shreck!
Las Vegas should change their slogan to "CIN-derella City" because they are so juvenile by limiting what they allow. We are adults let us have fun! Nightclubs in Disney World allow adults to have more fun than the clubs in Las Vegas. I was there last week and the bouncers at Rok Vegas in the N.Y. N.Y. acted like Vice Squad when I put my wife up on the bar. Get a life you losers; it's a nightclub not a Church. I will not be back since Forty Deuce closed. To all the Prude politicians that have ruined Vegas, I hope your economy continues to die!!
The Gaming Control Board has no business regulating the behavior of adults in a nightclub. Period. The employment of "moral clauses" in the State of Nevada can only lead to stripping Nevada of the very thing that distinguishes it from other vacation destinations.
I once referred to Summerlin as "Irvine with casinos." Soon enough, the distinction will be irrelevant, and once that happens ... good-bye Golden Goose.
For Dr. Scott and Mr. Reza.
Adults acting like adults, consuming adult beverages, having adult conversations and possibly having adult relationships are not what is in question here. What these clubs, lounges and pools are being investigated for are the illegal behaviors that are not being appropriately dealt with on the premises. Drug use or dealing (guests dealing to guests), prostitution, Assault (guest on guest), underage consumption of alcohol, and overserving alcohol.
All of these items (except for prostitution in select Nevada counties) are illegal everywhere, including Disneyland. If you would like more information as to how bad any one particular incident can get, do a search for C2K as to why they cease to operate.
Mr. Reza, as far as the bouncers acting like the vice squad when you put your wife up on the bar. Most likely she and you had had more than one cocktail, and if she fell off the bar, the chance of you filing a lawsuit against ROK for not stopping you and your wife from doing something really stupid would be 100%. To take this a step further, if it was your wife that was groped by another patron, had her drink dosed or had another man try to walk out with her when she was extremely drunk, you should hope that the bouncers step in like a vice squad and end the incident forthwith.
There are plenty of clubs and operators in Las Vegas that can run great operations whild abiding the letter of the law, and they will be happy to take on the extra business.
Now that they have cocktail service by the pool, I dig the artisan. It's less crowded, lots of hotties tho.