Nightlife, as an industry, was spawned in the club culture of New york. The Big Apple’s restaurants and mega-clubs have evolved into national, and in some cases global, juggernauts with multiple brands in major party destinations like Las vegas, Miami, and New york. Vegas nightlife in particular has undergone a striking transformation from simply casino-centric entertainment 다낭 KTV to a lifestyle entertainment mecca of dining, drinking, and dancing. The biggest names in nightlife include China Grill Management, Light Group, Tao Group, and the Gerber Group.
China Grill Management, owned by nightlife impresario Jeffrey Chodorow, runs the Gansevoort Roof Deck, Provocateur in the Meatpacking District, and dozens of hotel restaurants and lounges across the country. The Asia de Cuba restaurant concept has locations in New york, Miami, and London, making CGM a global powerhouse. Chodorow reportedly raked in revenue of $200 million in 2009.
Andrew Sasson, owner of Light Group, started out running the Jet Lounge in SoHo; expanded Jet to the legendary Hamptons outpost Jet East; and opened its Vegas club at the Mirage in 2005. Sasson also owns Bank, Haze, the Deuce Lounge, and the Gold Lounge, a partnership with legendary Vegas act Cirque de Soleil. In 2009 Sasson opened five properties in the groundbreaking CityCenter development in Vegas, and in 2010, the Caramel Restaurant and Lounge in Dubai. Light Group operates 16 venues with $160 million.
Marc Packer and Rich Wolf are the major partners of Tao Group, which has grown from a handful of New york eateries like Tao NYC and French restaurant Rue 57 to now include Las vegas nightclubs Tao, Lavo, and Marquee. Packer and Wolf partnered with Noah Tepperbergand Jason Strauss of Suite 16 and Marquee NYC to bring the clubs to the Vegas nightlife scene. Tao is now the highest grossing restaurant in the world, with revenues hitting $60 million at the Las vegas club alone.
The Gerber Group is run by Cindy Crawford’s husband, Rande Gerber, who has made a fortune from creating chic hotel bars, the most notable for the W Hotel. His brands include the Whiskey, Whiskey Blue, Living room, and Stone Rose Lounge. The Gerber Group operates 23 concepts in Atlanta, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Los angeles, New Orleans, New york city, Scottsdale, and Santiago, Chile, and plans to open more properties in New york, Paris, San francisco, and Toronto in 2012.
Clearly the nightlife industry has embraced globalization to build brands across the country and the world. The continued success of the aforementioned nightlife impresarios will be largely dependent on their ability to create concepts that can withstand the current rocky economic climate. Expect to see this trend of national and overseas expansion continue. Nightclubs are just another chain to go global, a la McDonalds… Coming to a city near you, the McClub.