Clubbing through the ages

Friday, Dec. 30, 2005 | 9:14 a.m.

Nightclubs in Las Vegas have evolved from basic dance floors, catwalks and dance platforms to extravagant clubs with multiple rooms (each with its own brand of music), sophisticated light displays, live performers, VIP table service and liquor tabs that can run into the thousands of dollars.

Here are some of the highlights as the nightclub industry has developed in Las Vegas.

Club Rio at Rio

1995 -- 30,000 square feet

Club Rio is credited by many with starting the boom of large nightclubs within major casinos, catering to affluent customers. Nightclubs existed before Club Rio -- the Shark Club and the Beach -- but they were mostly stand-alone and catered more to the local market.

Studio 54 at MGM Grand

December 1997 -- 23,100 square feet

One of the first megaclubs and inspired by its New York namesake, Studio 54 is still one of the largest, and still going strong, on the strength of its continuing updates.

Ra at Luxor

December 1997 -- 19,000 square feet

Another club that broke new ground when it opened on the Strip, Ra also incorporated the Eastern spiritual motif that has become a mainstay of many clubs in Las Vegas.

Light at Bellagio

December 2001 -- 7,500 square feet

Light is credited as the first local club to begin European-style table service, bringing bottles of liquor -- and eyepopping bills -- to affluent partyers. The same group that produced Light has since produced the nightclubs Mist, Fix and now, at the Mirage, the 15,000-square-foot Jet, which opens tonight.

Tabu Ultra Lounge at MGM Grand

February 2003 -- 7,000 square feet

Part of a new generation of ultralounges. It's relatively quieter, giving patrons an alternative to the decibel-pounding dance floors of other nightclubs.

Teatro Euro Bar at MGM Grand

December 2004 -- 2,220 square feet

Focusing on intimacy rather than grandeur, Teatro is billed as a "couples bar," a direct contrast to the megaclubs in the same casino.

Pure at Caesars Palace

December 2004 -- 36,000 square feet

Caesars jumped on the megaclub train with this four-room effort, which set a new standard for size and variety, including a panoramic view of the Strip. At $14 million, it also set a new standard for spending on nightclubs.

Tao at The Venetian

September 2005 -- 40,000 square feet

Tao edges out its Strip rivals for size and spending -- it cost $20 million. The club encompasses a traditional dance floor and smaller, quieter ultralounge areas. The decor ranges from young women, wearing little, in flower-petal-filled bathtubs to a wall of ceramic Buddhas.

Tryst at Wynn Las Vegas

December 2005 -- 12,000 square feet

Steve Wynn asked nightclub impresario Victor Drai and his design team to help create this 1,100-person-capacity nightclub, which opens tonight as the replacement for the failed La Bete. Tryst's dance floor extends over a waterfall, so watch your step.