The Rabbit and The Moon

NEW CHIP'S AT PLAYBOY

An Eye on Vegas Exclusive Sneak Peek

Let’s start this week’s Eye on Vegas with a bold statement; the new nightlife ventures opening at The Palms this weekend, Playboy Club and Moon Nightclub, are complete, never before seen, hybrids in the United States and both will absolutely be a smash hit! After gratefully receiving exclusive sneak peeks of the two venues, along with the new Italian restaurant from the N9NE Group titled Nove (or nine in Italian), we might just have some insight on the matter. Scott DeGraff and Michael Morton, owners of the N9NE Group, along with George Maloof, owner of the Palms, have gone above and beyond in creating the next round of Vegas nightlife and raising the bar for things to come. With three new venues opening on the roof of The Palms’ Fantasy Tower, the N9NE Group is not only here to stay but they will play a significant role in the future of Vegas nightlife. The three venues are strategically stacked on top of each other with a purpose, to own a guest for the entire night. “We envision guests starting with dinner at Nove and going from there,” states Mike Fuller, N9NE Group’s main man of marketing, while pointing out escalators that connect all three floors. “After dinner they can head up to Playboy, have a few drinks, meet with friends, and wager in a little bit more relaxed environment before going up one more floor where the nightclub will be in full effect.”

The Playboy Club isn’t a new concept, in fact 22 of them previously operated in cities around the globe, however, the last of which closed in Manila 15 years ago, and at The Palms the concept gets a new grown-up and modern look in the place it was most perhaps meant to be, Las Vegas. Playboy Club isn’t a nightclub as much as it is a high-end gaming ultra lounge. “Never before has gaming been introduced into a nightclub atmosphere,” notes Fuller, with a smile while checking out the progress of the club as it nears its October 6th opening. From the moment the dual elevators open into the club, patrons will realize they are entering a special kind of venue. Red leather walls coat the foyer and a diamond backed main bar inset with the infamous Playboy name greets patrons as they enter. All of the gaming tables are located to the east with four tables on each side of a large diamond inlaid support beam. “The gaming tables and chairs are on hydraulics so they can be raised or lowered to a players preference,” Fuller continues while adding that both blackjack and roulette will be available as well as a limited amount of electronic gaming. While the gaming tables replace the dance floor in the middle of the venue, sharp red and black leather couches surround the gaming area creating a tantalizing view of the action and no doubt increasing gaming drops as the alcohol flows liberally. Above the casino, four Philippe Starck designed Baccarat crystal chandeliers add a classic and elegant look. Surrounding this portion of the club are several sheer black curtains bunched together with over-sized, almost tribal designed gold Playboy holders. Along the entire south wall of this portion of the club is a wall of approximately 50 picture frames that are actually plasma screens flashing through a Playboy Archive of 20,000 pictures ranging from magazine covers, to pin up shots, to pictures of some of Playboy’s most famous centerfolds, it is an absolutely stunning element of the club. Everywhere you look the famous bunny ears meet you, from the diamond shaped designs in the dark carpet to the ‘70s faux wallpaper turned to glass partition that encircles the sunken gaming/lounge floor. The other side of the club features more of the traditional ultra lounge look with oversized brown snakeskin chairs and large high backed black booths creating a VIP lounge area. Another plasma screen sits above an elongated fireplace, surrounded in a large gold picture frame, enabling even more branding opportunities. In the bottom of the fireplace rest yet more diamonds enabling the fire to seemingly sparkle in an outlet full of surprises. “You will not find anything painted,” Fuller adds while pointing out brown leather bricks that create one wall in the lounge, “We’ve used different finishes and material to give every wall and ceiling a unique look and feel.” The VIP bar is surely a sight to be seen on its own, a gold multi-tiered collage of Playboy logos and shapes creating one of the most unique back bars we’ve seen in our time. “The musical format will remain mostly rock in this room,” says the former DJ, “but later at night or for special events that might change a bit.” Add into the mix retrofitted classic Playboy pinball machines, bathroom wallpaper that might make you blush, Roberto Cavalli-designed uniforms for the next generation of Bunnies and it’s no wonder we’re convinced it will be a hit.

If Playboy Club introduces gaming to the nightclub environment and the Playboy lifestyle to Las Vegas, then Moon Nightclub introduces what might be a snapshot at the future of nightlife. Located one floor above Playboy and on the roof of the Palms’ new Fantasy Tower, Moon is a boutique nightclub experience that certainly seems more intimate than its 12,500 square-foot footprint. Like Playboy, the elevators drop patrons in the middle of the club with an intimate VIP lounge located to the west and the clubs main room to the east. Directly to the front is a bar encased in LED light hexagon shapes that continue on the roof and walls surrounding the area. A trail of LED tiles in the floor create a ‘yellow brick road’ experience, except instead of just yellow, the lights blink different colors in different patterns that can even be set to the music. “No technology found in any other nightclub beats what we have at Moon,” Fuller notes, his smile growing larger with each step. Pointing to the retractable roof of the nightclub, he points out how in 90 seconds the club can be turned into a convertible. “We aren’t just going to open the roof, there is a whole production around it,” he states proudly while explaining how sound effects will blend with visual images displayed around the club to create a whole experience. Each of the windows encircling the main room are covered in diamond-like beaded curtains so that the technical team can shoot images onto the curtains adding to the experience. It’s obvious that the N9NE team spent a minor fortune creating the audio/visual experience that is, in part, created by the city’s first DL2 lighting systems, the newer brother of the DL1’s used at JET Nightclub ( The Mirage). “This is cutting-edge technology right here,” Fuller ads, hesitating to consider the possibilities for what has to be the millionth time, “and we have a whole laser and fog system in here that only adds to the effect. Oh, and the sound system in here will rattle your teeth,” he adds pointing up to multiple speakers surrounding the square shaped dance floor and grey with yellow fringed VIP booths. Further to the east, another bar resides surrounded by almost purple-hued marbles inlaid in black grout, creating a very ‘crater-esque’ feel. Behind that bar, a standing room only VIP balcony gives patrons an amazing view of the Strip, albeit a similar one to the neighboring ghostbar. Above this bar is a second level, VIP balcony that will contain more VIP tables and booths as well as get club goers even closer to the stars when the roof is open. Dual winding stairways will enable celebrities access to the balcony with even more LED lighting on the top of each handrail picket. In a recent press release, Degraff noted, “As a boutique nightclub, Moon offers a sense of intimacy that can’t be found in any other high end club. It is like nothing else on the planet.” After our tour, we have to simply agree and start counting down the days until the opening.

Don’t think for a second that Morton and DeGraff used up all of their good ideas at the two nightlife offerings because Nove is just as unique and just as innovative, except it’s laid out in a restaurant setting. As with the two other venues, nothing is painted instead the walls and ceilings focus on different finishes and uses lots of marble to stand out. Taking a page out of Bill Gates’ home decor, Nove features numerous framed mirrors that don’t reflect a mirrored image, instead reflecting classic Italian pieces of art that can be changed electronically. Nove’s wine cellar also gets a technological boost appearing as a contained pixilated light wall blinking away in different patterns and paces. Along the east side of the restaurant, five large topiaries reside playfully giving the restaurant a ‘green’ feel. The restaurant also features a second level balcony that will be used for additional seating and bar traffic. Also on the backside of the balcony is a row of two-top tables that are must-dos for dining with a significant other, especially with a view of the neon backdrop behind the large topiaries. Don’t worry though, it’s not just those seats that have the view as the restaurant is completely surrounded by windows. Canuck Will Dunbar has been tapped as the general manager of Nove and will have no problem seamlessly making the move from N9NE Steakhouse as the restaurant keeps a very distinct N9NE feel. “The thought with Nove was to find the balance between art and design,” Fuller adds while gazing across the dining room. “As with N9NE downstairs, we wanted to focus on the social aspects of dining and give guests a fun place to start the night with fantastic food.” While we haven’t gotten a chance to try Executive Chef Geno Bernardo’s authentic menu or fare just yet, if the food can remain as consistently delicious as N9NE and the scene can remain as distinctly cool at the bar, then Nove too will be a hit.

The new N9NE Group venues are fine-tuning their service and staffing this week before a grand opening over the weekend. The first promotion at the new venue will take place on Sunday, October 15th when the Playboy Club presents The November Playboy Magazine launch party featuring Tamara Witner, the gorgeous Playboy Playmate and October issue cover girl. Hosting the party will be two well-respected Vegas institutions; Ketel One Vodka, and, yours truly, the Eye on Vegas. The party will be in both the Playboy Club and Moon Nightclub. Talk about starting it right …

SKIP