Movida Movin to Vegas

Sammy Sass may no longer (or never been) involved with Noah and Jason's upcoming Lavo restaurant and nightclub at the Palazzo, but our LB was correct in Sammy's interest in Vegas. We just got word that Sass will be opening a branch of his London club Movida in the Palazzo. This follows the current Vegas strategy of trying to lure big spenders from Europe as the American economy hits the shitter. Especially with the slowdown in tourism and spending in Vegas. We always say the more the merrier, but Lavo and Movida going head-to-head? This should be interesting.

Lavo is Hiring!

Got the New York City recession blues? Get your resume ready and call Uhaul, because Lavo, Las Vegas's next great restaurant and night club is now hiring!

Finally….you’ve waited long enough

From the creators of TAO Asian Bistro and Nightclub
Still….the sexiest temple in Las Vegas

LAVO

Restaurant and Nightclub is now accepting applications for the following positions:

Maitre’D
Restaurant Managers
Assistant Restaurant Managers
Nightclub Managers
Assistant Nightclub Managers
Sous Chef’s
Purchasing Agent

Their other operation, Tao, is the most successful restaurant in the country. Getting a job here will probably lead to some pretty good scratch. Just something to consider a you slog through another week in the meat grinder.

Miami Is Not So Pure

Based on their recent IRS troubles, PURE has had to rethink their pending expansion plans. How so? Well, according to our Little Beach Birdy in Miami, "PURE has killed their plans to open in South Beach. Their IRS problems has made it impossible to go through with the deal." So their planned Fountainbleau Hotel location will not happen. And that's why you never decide to skimp on your taxes. Allegedly.

Lavo Staffs Up!

Lavo, Noah and Jason's upcoming Las Vegas mega project, is beginning to staff up. According to a Little Birdy, they are pulling their from Los Angeles. Says our LB:

Suk Sung, of Opera, Crimson, and Mood (though probably less proud of that last one), is moving from LA to Vegas at the end of the month to help start it up.

Our Little Birdy explains further that managers and hosts from both coasts are looking to move to the desert, and really, who can blame them. Unlike LA and NYC, hospitality makes the Vegas world go round, so middle management types are eager to use hotel mega clubs as a spring board to increased pay and greater opportunities. Tax trouble not included.

Rick's Cabaret Eats Scores

Some news from the world of strip clubs. First they steal Lonnie Hanover. Now Rick's Cabaret, the only publicly listed gentleman's club, has purchased Scores Las Vegas for $21 million. Look at that picture. The Rick's life is pretty foreign looking.

Is it just us, or will there be more Rick's than Houstons soon? Nevermind.

Noah and Jason Live LAVO

Thanks to Lloyd Grove and a super long interview with Noah Tepperberg on Portfolio's website, we get a bit more information on Noah and Jason's upcoming Las Vegas project with Sammy Sass. You know, the one we told you about in January. Noah tells Lloyd

And now Jason, myself, Seth (Rodsky), Mark (Packer), and Rich (Wolf) have again partnered to open a new place in Las Vegas, which will be opening in about three months in the Palazzo hotel. It's a restaurant and a nightclub, rather large, and it's going to be called Lavo.

Fascinating stuff. Not only that, a Little Birdy tells us that it is designed by Avro/Ko. We look forward to it.

[Photo credit]

A Pure Bust

Big news from the desert. Pure Management Group managing partners Steve Davidovici and Robert Frey homes and corporate offices were raided by the IRS. According to reports, the bust went down just hours before a party for Bette Midler (tragic!), and the focus is apparently on the huge tips that the doormen collect from tourists who are beyond desperate to get inside Las Vegas's biggest club. There are rumors that doormen are making between $8 - $10 grand a night, which is some serious cake. Man about town Robin Leach also reports that the club owners are willing to cooperate in order to protect their celebrity investors (Shaq, Celine Dion), but investigators are also going to be looking into the large appearance fees paid to Hollywood "celebs" to show up at the club. But don't worry - the club is still open for business.

Photo Credit

Light Group Cashes Out

We want to offer a hearty congratulations to Andrew Sasson, who has just sold off a 50% stake of the Light Group to the Dubai-based Zabeel Investments, who seem to have fallen head over heels over the upcoming Harmon Hotel project. According to the press release, Zabeel's "goal is to develop the hospitality industry in the UAE and across the region - an aim which encompasses all areas of this sector from food and beverage to hotels and restaurants. In addition, The Light Group can tap our UAE hospitality expertise, and evolve that to other developments around the world." We commend your selection. Say what you will about Sasson et al, but the group has been wildly successful as hospitality operator in Vegas. Selling a 50% stake to Zabeel is only going to raise their bar, infusing them with a huge chunk of capital to allow them to take their operation global. Exciting stuff.

Noah and Jason Get Sassy

A bit of news from the desert. We had previously heard rumors of another mega project from Noah and Jason at the new Palazzo in Las Vegas. Originally, it seemed that they would try to bringing the Stanton Social concept out west with Marc Packer and Rich Wolf and then attach a mega-club and pool, just like their ridiculously successful Tao operation. Apparently, these plans have been scrapped for something much grander and dare we say, international. We'll let our Little Birdy tell you the rest:

A friend in Monaco is telling me that Samy Sass, from Sass Cafe in Monaco famed is partnering with Noah and Jason to do a Sass Cafe concept in Vegas that is restaurant, lounge, club, pool, etc. This would be in line with comments they have made in the Vegas press about opening a 'vibe dining' concept. Further, the word out of London is that the guys from Mo*vida (the hottest club in London that ripped off the name from NY) are doing something in Vegas, but nobody knows where. Turns out Samy is partners with them in Mo*vida. So, my conclusion is Noah and Jason are up to something big with some major operators from Monaco and Vegas. Not just big, but so big that there is a complete gag order on the whole thing and no info available anywhere.

Well, except for right here of course. So much for your gag order fellas. This partnership represents globalization at its finest, and follows Strategic Group's process of taking on partners to minimize risk and keep their capital contribution to a minimum. Smart move, especially with the tightening of the credit markets and weak dollar, to bring in some global players who have shied away from Vegas in the past. Will it work? Only time will tell.

Rio in Space

First Jason Pomeranc. Now Space. Harrah's Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is on a deal making spree, poised to sign an agreement with Space, Ibiza's long running dance club to become the anchor nightlife tenant in the off-strip pink and purple tower. Semi-genius and semi-risky, as Rio is definitely at the bottom of destinations for twenty somethings that flock to Vegas to destroy themselves, but will the name Space bring any cachet this far from the Spanish Islands? Doubtful, but it may not matter. Rio needs a first class operator who knows how to produce on a large scale, and Space certainly fits that bill. Expect Carl Cox, Pete Tong and the rest of the Mega DJ set to start calling the Rio their home when they make their appearances in the desert. Just make sure your glow sticks are fired up.