“You had to be a big shot, didn't cha
You had to open up your mouth
You had to be a big shot, didn't cha
All your friends were so knocked out
You had to have the last word, last night
You know what everything's about
You had to have a white hot spotlight
You had to be a big shot last night, oh oh...”
                                      -Big Shot, Billy Joel

Friday, February 12, 2010, 9 p.m. – This type of partying started 10 years ago with our first visit to this city and it might end tonight. We are about to head downhill on a sled of debaucheries, excess and sin for the tenth night in a row. I hope someone tells the world about us when we are gone, in order to remember our stories and keep them as a blueprint of fun, and if not handled correctly, a cautionary tale. We are pleasure hounds stuck in a party version of Groundhog Day. We start with breakfast at the Raleigh Hotel, followed by a day at the pool sipping Caipirinhas and Rosé, a disco nap, a group dinner, and a karaoke rendition of “Only the Good Die Young” or Pearl Jam’s “Last Kiss” to end the night at 5 a.m. Some days we end up on a yacht, others we spend in the spa or lying on the beach. We are driven by conversation and stories, and if we only had a court reporter to monitor the exchanges, we would make Judd Apatow look like an amateur. 

We stroll into STK, Miami’s latest hit restaurant, and where this trip began 10 days ago. I see the hostess, Lorin, a sultry Sicilian girl in a tight black dress, with sex in her eyes and seduction in her smile. She shakes her ass, gives us all hugs, and leads us to our seats. Upon arrival, the table is already filled with Waygu Mini Macs, a bottle of champagne, and multiple shots of Don Julio Silver. You see, they know us here because although Miami may have a big head, it's really just a small town. As we sit down and the music pulses, my mind drifts... Can I make it another day? Can I deal with leaving? Miami is made for pleasure and these decadent scenes play out nightly. Aside from the nightclubs that I spoke about last week, it is the hotels and restaurants that play host to these daily festivals of overindulgence.

Miami hotels and restaurants are like the cocktail waitresses who work in them – when they first get into the game they are intoxicatingly beautiful and innocent, but after a few years of too much drinking, drug use, sex, and overcharging, they are in desperate need of a facelift. Some die, and others, through the miracles of plastic surgery and marketing, sprout back to life. Miami was not the birthplace of the “boutique hotel” or the “mega restaurant,” but it is one of the few places where they grew up and flourished. In these temples of excess, a glass of wine and a slice of pizza may be prohibitively expensive to the average consumer, while two minutes away it can be surprisingly affordable and delicious. In some cases I feel like Miami hotels and mega restaurants are just stone cold pimps wearing designer exteriors, prostituting pizza, steaks, and Journey songs at massive markups. In other cases they display creativity, beauty, and special moments of incredibly sophisticated hospitality.

There are many bright spots and some truly incredible properties in Miami, with more to come like the Cipriani Resort and the SLS Ritz Plaza. Miami is and has always been innovative in the hotel market. Although new building is probably on hold (as it should be), there are still some great deals out there for you. With that said, here are my favorite hotels and restaurants in Miami…

Hotels:   

Best New Hotel: W Hotel & Residences
The W Hotel is the perfect mix between a super high-end property, like The Setai, and a party hotel, like The Shore Club. The interior is absolutely spectacular and even somewhat understated by W standards. The W wasn’t the first in the boutique hotel game, but their resources and infrastructure make them the market leader and they are still opening properties as fiercely as they were during boom times. This property holds a Mr. Chow, a Wall Nightclub, and a Mediterranean restaurant called Solea. It is the hottest property in Miami right now and there doesn’t seem to be much in the pipeline that can compete. I am not always a fan of this chain, but The W Miami hits the mark.

Most Beautiful Design & Pool: Mondrian Hotel & Residences
The Mondrian opened almost two years ago and is located off the strip on the bay side of Miami. It is about a five minute cab ride from the heart of the action and is well worth the trip. The property was designed by Marcel Wanders, heir apparent to Philippe Starck’s throne and, in my mind, possibly the most talented young designer there is. He has managed to create what could be The Delano 2.0 and the blueprint for future boutique properties. The pool overlooks the bay and is the most superb place to watch the sun set. The cabanas are also incredible in scope and beauty, and rates are usually pretty reasonable compared to those of strip hotels.

Undercover Classic: The Raleigh
The Raleigh has been open for almost 100 years. Recently sold by Andre Balazs, the property maintains the Balazs aesthetic of classic glamour and elegance. The shape and design of the pool and “backyard” are perfect for lounging, whether with a family, a bunch of single friends, or a date. Its sensibility is very European, from the coffee bar in front to the classic Porsche in the porte-cochere. It definitely has the best and most reasonably priced food program in the hotel zone.

Best Spa: The Standard Miami
Sister property to the New York and L.A. Standards, this one is completely different yet maintains the same stylish essence. This property is much more reminiscent of Sunset Beach on Shelter Island, also run by Balazs. Focused around a new-age spa, this hotel is peaceful, affordable, chic, and fun. The main attractions are the great bay side restaurant and the spa, which features a Turkish hamam, a steam room, a sauna, and great treatments like bay side massages and clay body wraps. There is also an extensive program of yoga and meditation classes to choose from. Most importantly, Sunday’s Pornographic Bingo is not to be missed, no matter where you are staying in Miami.

The Classic: The Delano
The Delano is a groundbreaking hospitality achievement, the original and arguably best hotel in Miami. Experiencing Philippe Starck’s “Alice in Wonderland” motif is a must for any hospitality junky. The lobby, the pool, and the cabanas are absolutely stunning, especially when you realize they were done 20 years ago. Known in its heyday for hosting the likes of Madonna, The Delano still drips with style and swank, although the crowd may have changed a bit. With that said, the addition of The Florida Room downstairs is bringing back the youth to this hotel where South Beach was born.

Best Budget: The Catalina
Alan Lieberman launched The Catalina across the street from The Delano, The Shore Club, and The Raleigh a couple of years ago as a budget alternative to these properties. He established The Catalina and then acquired the two hotels next door to create a hotel block party. The rooms, though small, are stylish and each includes an incredibly comfortable Tempur-Pedic mattress. There are two rooftop pools at the hotel and all guests are treated to a complimentary happy hour daily. The Catalina has its own beach club and two great restaurants, great additions to the budget property. I especially loved Kung Fu Sushi, which was the perfect answer for dinner when trying not to break the bank – not an easy task in this area of Miami.

Best Non-Boutique: The Gansevoort South
The Gansevoort South may not be my favorite property because of its size, but it gets rave reviews from most of my friends. The property has two pools including one on the roof, which seems to be preferred, with a great scene both day and night. The rooms are huge compared to most properties and laid out nicely (some even include kitchens). The most exciting part of the property is the retail space, which is not laid out in a traditional manner, inside the hotel. Rather, The Gansevoort has a high-end Vegas-like mall which surrounds it on the street level. This mall includes restaurants STK and Philippe, clubs Coco de Ville and Louis, a coffee shop, and a David Barton Gym. Finally, there are two New-York-based retail stores in the mall, Big Drop and Curve Soleil. The ladies I know say great things about Curve Soleil; it shouldn’t be missed when looking for that perfect outfit. If you have to go big with your hotel, then The Gansevoort is the only way to go.

Inside Scoop:
• Raleigh Hotel seems to be planning a restaurant with a high-end New York operator and possibly a new lounge space.
• Sagamore Hotel is said to be doing a deal with Playboy to become a Playboy Hotel.
• I am told that The Shelborne is finally making moves toward a major renovation and transforming itself from an aging property into a modern stylish boutique. This is exciting considering the sheer size and location of the property, right in the heart of everything.
• Riande Continental was acquired a while ago by Ian Schrager Company. He is said to be bringing affordable luxury to this hotel with designer John Pawson.
• SLS Hotels, who just launched their flagship in Los Angeles, is developing the Ritz Plaza Hotel. If it ever gets built, adjacent to The Delano, it may be the most exciting hotel development in Miami in the past 20 years.

Restaurants:

My Favorite: Casa Tua
Some of the best meals I have ever had have been in Miami, my most recent being last week’s dinner at Casa Tua with Josh Shames and Georgica owner, David Schulman. The ambiance of this restaurant is like the private home of a sophisticated and fun-loving European family. The meal began with an amuse-bouche of puréed vegetable soup with crispy croutons and a Sardinian wine, Kanai Riserva 2005, recommended by the sommelier. It perfectly matched our request for an Italian wine that was dry and earthy with a hint of boldness to wake up our ignorant palettes. For appetizers we enjoyed the perfect Branzino Carpaccio with pink grapefruit and hazelnuts, Burrata with organic tomatoes, and the signature Casa Tua Tuna Tartare. We followed these dishes with a medley of pastas including a stuffed Gnocchi over butternut squash purée with prosciutto crisps, an intoxicatingly fresh lemon risotto, and an orecchiette with broccolini, scampi, clams, and broccoli rabe. The meal was topped with a perfectly velvety Tiramisu and a nice mild cigar in the private rooftop club, a Cipriani Upstairs without the attitude. 

Best Sushi: Nobu @ The Shore Club
Two items that they rarely have in New York that are out of this world: Dover Sole Tempura and Hearts of Palm Salad. I recently tried the Kobe Beef for the first time and I have to say, it was the softest piece of meat I have ever eaten. I don’t know who else pretends to serve Kobe Beef but I have never tasted meat like this before.

Best Asian Palace: Mr. Chow @ The W Hotel & Residences
In South Beach Mr. Chow’s is on a much grander scale then I have ever seen before, finally beginning its modern day expansion, after Philippe forced its hand. The boys from New York are in Miami running it and they definitely have some momentum, especially because they are located inside the “it” hotel of the moment, the W South Beach.  Everything is the same as the original gangster – be prepared to wait, but enjoy knowing you are where you should be, for now.

Best Scene: STK
Recently launched in the Gansevoort Hotel, the One Group has built a mega vibe-dining palace, while managing to maintain the integrity of the product. If you come expecting STK-style you won’t be disappointed, as the Mini-Macs are outstanding and the soundtrack is perfect. They have imported one of the Maître d's from Prime 112, which tells me they are wasting no time going right for the king of Miami, Myles Chefetz. They did it in L.A. and New York, but here's the truth: this restaurant is made for Miami. If vibe dining was a sports star, this restaurant would be Lebron and Miami would be Shaq, just what he needed to get to the finals.

Best Miami Mega Restaurants: Prime 112, Prime Italian, and Prime Lounge 
There is absolutely no difference between these three restaurants. They are all riffs on Prime 112, they are always jam-packed with people, and they are always awesome. The system is as follows: make a reservation a week in advance, tip the head Maître d’, and enjoy the incredible food and countless number of celebrities, sports stars, etc. Don’t waste your time in the bar or dining room at the original, just sit in the Lounge or Italian and enjoy everything. I would tell you what to order but that wouldn’t matter because everything is spectacular. Bring your appetite, your wallet, and some hot chicks, and if you don’t have a nice car, take a cab.

Best New Restaurant: Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill
Located in Midtown Miami, somewhere between South Beach and the Design District, is Sugarcane. It is owned by the Sushi Samba group, but that is generally where the similarities end. The menu focuses around share plates combined with a spectacular drink list full of cocktails, sakes, and rums. The space has multiple kitchens that specialize in different types of food, including Tapas, Robata, and Raw Bar including sushi, crudo, and a spectacular array of the freshest oysters I have ever had. Highlights of my meal included bacon-wrapped dates with linguica and manchego cheeses, a jamon serrano sushi roll, balsamic brussel sprouts and the fluke crudo. It also seems like Sugarcane will develop a very good scene at the bar, making it an ideal setting for early evening and sunset cocktails. Lee Schrager, the founder of Miami’s Food & Wine festival, declared the whole roasted chicken the best he has ever had. If that’s not telling, I don’t know what is. All I can say is WOW.

Best Cheap Eats: Sandwicherie
Sandwicherie may be my favorite place to eat in Miami Beach. Period. The crisp baguettes with fresh vegetables, quality meats, and deliciously delectable Dijon vinaigrette are the sandwich equivalent to a powerful aphrodisiac. These sandwiches explode with flavor and have just the right textural mix. My personal recommendation is to stick with the hard boiled eggs, pate, or prosciutto – anything else takes away from fresh and powerful flavors of the fillings and sauce. Whether you're eating at 4 a.m. or noon, these sandwiches are absolute perfection.

Best Foodie Restaurants: Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and Michy’s
I don’t believe many of my current readers will know much about these two restaurants, but as you begin to explore more in Miami, outside of the hotel zones, Michael's and Michy’s are a must. Michael Schwartz is defining the “Locavorism” movement in Miami, serving local products and sometimes, I am told, even growing them himself. Many say Michael's Genuine is the best restaurant in Miami. 

Michy’s is a restaurant created by Miami’s other celebrity chef, Michelle Bernstein, and her husband David Martinez. The restaurant's design is whimsical and airy, and the food is sophisticated but approachable. Chef Bernstein calls it luxurious comfort food, I call it scrumptious.

Now I have to get back to New York and see what I have missed in the buzz of fashion week and preparations for spring. Tomorrow I am beginning a juice fast, The Blueprint Cleanse, to allow my body to repair from this eating and drinking odyssey. Keep life delicious and see you next time at Cocktail Hour, where more often than not one drink turns into ten and no one knows where and when the night will end.

-AP

Money, Power, Fame, Sex – New York’s got the money, Washington D.C.’s got the power, L.A.’s got the fame and Miami’s got the sex. For better (my tan) or for worse (my liver), I’ve spent 18 days visiting Miami (currently still here) over the last two months. Miami has been battered by the poor economy and housing crisis, and has been plagued with rampant overdevelopment. You see, Miami was doing well, but like a fat man at a buffet, the city just couldn’t resist more. They got out of their comfort zone and started building mega-resorts like The Fontainebleau and The Gansevoort instead of traditional boutique hotels. Bigger is not always better, and now the banks are foreclosing on the properties, as they recently did at The Gansevoort Miami. To the average fellow, this means that the bank has allowed the current management company to continue operating the hotel for the foreseeable future, but in many cases the developer’s equity is completely wiped out and millions of dollars get flushed into the economic abyss. 

Surprisingly, despite this crisis, Miami is not depressing, depressed, or even remotely in a bad mood. Through adversity, Miami has divided into two factions. First, there is the classic Miami, a money-driven glitz and silicone-gilded mecca, which exists in mega-restaurants like STK at The Gansevoort and Mr. Chow at the new W Hotel. There is also an inspiringly authentic scene of food, drink and genuine Miami culture in places like the Design District’s Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Bayside hotels Mondrian and Standard, and nightlife experiences like Big Bounce at Florida Room or Bardot. The city and people have a Latin and European sensibility which makes trouble seem far away. They stroll down Lincoln Road, sipping espressos at Segafredo and buying custom Nike running jackets at Mr. R’s Sports, an awesome sneaker spot. Every time I am here I ask myself why I live in New York; but for some reason I keep returning. My only explanation is that I am either dumb or addicted to the grit and harsh realities of Manhattan. Like an episode of “Lost”, I am sure there is a duplicate version of me living in Miami, married to a beautiful Argentinean woman who loves my “machismo” and gringo family…

… But enough with the dreaming. As I write this I am fully rethinking my return to the snow. Today I will break down Miami nightlife, and next Tuesday we will follow with restaurants and hotels along with some info from Super Bowl weekend. Join me and explore the hottest spots for the 2010 season in the city of sex.

Nightclubs:

Miami nightlife on season is my favorite scene in the country. You have all of the excess of Vegas clubs with a very limited amount of riffraff. You see, Miami is really all about the locals, and the locals take their clubs very seriously. There are a couple of promoters in town, but they have basically been the same for the past 10+ years. There is Alan Roth and Tommy Pooch, Michael Copponi and crew, Roy Alpert, Paolo and Tatanka, Zach Bush and Erica Freshman, Status Miami, and Empire Events which is basically part of Opium Group. There is always a transient yet strong presence from schools like University of Miami, Lynn and FIU. These schools, along with modeling agencies and the proximity to South America, deliver an unreasonable amount of attractive women nightly. Beautiful young females mixed with older moneyed men, makes for an explosively opportunistic nightlife market. This past weekend, I watched a man spend $99,000 in four hours on jeroboams of Cristal, magnums of Grey Goose and tons of Patron. His waitress made a $20,000 tip, all for herself, no pooling with the other girls, in a single night’s work. Miami runs six months behind New York in terms of trends, so if bottle service died in New York, no one got the message here. 

LIV

The current king of clubs in Miami is LIV. It is raping and pillaging the marketplace because David Grutman and Brian Gordon are incredibly good at what they do and because a developer had a wet dream and chose to spend billions of dollars building Las Vegas around them. The club is absolutely spectacular in its size, scope, energy, and most of all, marketing. With that said, why in god’s name would I want to stay in a Vegas hotel in Miami? Staying at the Fontainebleau, is the equivalent of moving in with the cast MTV’s Jersey Shore, their families, and paying for them, by choice. The hotel is home to the best club in the city and some of the best restaurants in the city, Hakkasan, Blade, and Scarpetta but I avoid the rest of the hotel like the plague – it is against many of my core beliefs as a human being.

Opium Group – The Wall, Set, Mansion, Louis, New Mokai, and more

After LIV, there are two options: one of Opium Group’s many venues or Mynt. As much as LIV is dominating the club scene this year, Roman Jones and Opium Group have dominated the scene for the past decade. Roman and his partners have a hold on Miami Beach like medieval kings. They are partners with Nicola Siervo and I think Linley Edwards on The Wall, the second hottest club in Miami and climbing. They have the most beautiful waitresses I have ever seen dressed head to toe in Herve Ledger, tables made out of pure marble, and their namesake “walls” that change color throughout the night. 1Oak and Tao/Strategic Group hosted some killer events there this past weekend (Tao’s included taking over the entire W Hotel). Opium Group also owns Set, Mansion, Cameo (which they are redoing this summer), Mokai (which is being redone right now by Marc Lehmkuhl, formerly of Suite) and Louis (run by former New Yorker, Jeremy Spund) along with venues at the Hard Rock Casino and a few others, I am sure.  

Mynt

Mynt is blessed with the best location in Miami and some of the most loyal clientele as well. Over five years ago, Mynt began as Roberto Caan’s club with Nicola Siervo and once again, I believe, Linley Edwards. Roberto is a French-Tunisian and a very interesting man, to say the least. Last I heard, he was in Brazil or somehow involved with Opium Group’s Set, as his doorman Cedric runs the door there. For its first five years of operation, Mynt had a LIV-like hold on the high-end Europeans and New Yorkers in Miami. Romain Zago took over three years ago, and with his undying dedication to this club, has managed to maintain and expand business. I paid a visit to the club this past weekend and over New Years – the place is timeless and still has energy on par with the best clubs in the world.

Florida Room

For those people looking for less of a club and more of a lounge, the alternative is Florida Room. The place is run by Josh Wagner, an old friend who has developed the persona of a stylishly modern version of PT Barnum, overseeing an incredible array of live talent such as Jamie Foxx, Lenny Kravitz and The Roots. Josh has created a unique nightlife destination within a classic hotel: The Delano, Miami’s answer to The Waldorf Astoria. It was a bit too crowded during the Super Bowl, but what can you expect when you have Snoop Dogg and Wyclef performing in a room that holds less than 400 people.  Next time you’re in Miami, swing by Florida Room before midnight to take a gander at Lenny Kravitz’s design, hit the keys on the Lucite piano, and try mixologist Jon Lermayer’s incredible cocktails. It will be an authentic South Beach moment rarely found in such a densely packed tourist area.     

The Inside Scoop: Miami Nightlife

• The One Group and Roy Alpert just opened a branch of L.A. favorite, Coco de Ville, next to STK. It is a smaller boutique lounge that holds 200 people max. Nick Cohen, Ruckus and a few other notable DJs spun there this weekend. The key to success will be building energy in the room and establishing a loyal following, as Miami is not always keen on the smaller lounges.
• Jon B is building a Greenhouse at Gulfstream Park, 20 minutes north of Miami. He seems very excited about the project and in his usual infectious manner, passed the excitement on to me.  Gulfstream is a famous racetrack with a new casino complex that will include 20 bars and restaurants, along with a ton of high end retail. Some insiders are predicting that it will continue to pull customers north away from South Beach. This remains unseen, but as I said before Jon B could fill any place. Greenhouse is slated to open during Winter Music Conference.
• Mokai is being redone by the Opium Group and designed by their new in-house designer Marc Lehmkuhl, a good friend of mine and former owner of Suite & Snatch.
• There is a karaoke bar called Studio at The Shelborne Hotel which is open till around 5 a.m. most nights. It is the perfect place to hit after the clubs. In recent years I have seen celebs here, including the Olsen twins and Wilmer Valderrama.

The Weekly Line-Up: The Best Places and the Best Nights to Go

Monday: Mondrian
Tuesday: Coco de Ville, Rok Bar, Florida Room, Louis & Delano (before midnight)
Wednesday: LIV
Thursday: The Wall & Mynt
Friday: Set, LIV, Mynt
Saturday: LIV, The Wall, Florida Room – Come early, be prepared to spend and bring talent.
Sunday: Set, Sunday Brunch at Mondrian & The Standard (Pornographic Bingo & Pool Party)

If you’re reading this in the midst of a snowstorm in New York, now is the time to book your ticket to Miami, where an oasis of sensuality, sun and deliciousness awaits. This weekend is Presidents’ Weekend, the Food and Wine festival is at the end of February and Winter Music Conference is in March. There is always a reason not to go, but as I have learned, it is usually exaggerated in your head; new opportunities can always come from these adventures. Next Tuesday I will report on the hotels and restaurants to assist with those aspects of your trip.

See you next time at Cocktail Hour, where more often than not one drink turns into ten and no one knows where and when the night will end.

-AP

“The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules. Anyway... I've started to make a tape... in my head... for Laura. Full of stuff she likes.  Full of stuff that make her happy. For the first time I can sort of see how that is done.”  -John Cusack (Rob Gordon), High Fidelity

So many songs, so many years – they become like emotional watermarks on your brain. You don’t think about the memory until you hear the song and then the feelings of that moment come rushing back. Each month I will be releasing my “Monthly Mixtape,” a list of the songs that I am listening to now – songs to create new memories to, beats that will make your heart race, your hips shake, and if you’re from Jersey, your fists pump. Coincidentally, as these songs recall some great memories of mine, the initial list kicks off with a song called “Memories” by David Guetta & Kid Cudi. Get your download on…

1. "Memories" by David Guetta & Kid Cudi

2. "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine

10. "Tomorrow in a Bottle" by Timbaland featuring Chad Kroeger & Sebastian

See you Thursday at Cocktail Hour, where more often than not one drink turns into ten and no one knows where and when the night will end.

-AP

“I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, Buddy. A player. Or nothing.” -Gordon Gekko

Most of the people on this list, including the writer, started out in High School, bringing friends out to teen parties, college parties, prom parties, or working as bar backs, waiters and bartenders. The difference between this list and most of the other “rich” lists is that, for the most part, the men and women found below are self-made.

The way it starts out is simple: get as many friends as you can to say they’re on your list and then get $5 per head as the promoter, sometimes getting a few drink tickets or a table.

My friends and I, a group of classy gentlemen, would sometimes leave the club with new coats to supplement our income. There was one time when I accidentally left with a ladies’ leather jacket. The accident was not that I took someone else’s coat, but that it belonged to a woman. In the end, it all worked out; I gave it to my mother for her birthday. 

Fast forward a couple years and (as I stated in Tuesday's column) suddenly this has become a monstrous business, a multi-billion dollar industry. This is the USA and when $35 bottles are being sold for $350, and casinos are spending $100 million on nightclubs, we want to get in on it. We want to know who’s stacking the chips and exactly how many. As the Forbes List is to Capitalism, the A-List will be to nightlife. So, let’s bypass the tables and head directly to the count room.

These numbers are purely speculative, based upon expert opinions, research through my network and general public knowledge/numbers available for these organizations. Some of them are purely nightclub operators, and others are mixed with a strong footprint in the cocktail business.

China Grill Management
Estimated Gross Revenue: $200 million
Not a pure nightlife play but with enough of a foot in the nightlife and vibe dining game to be included on this list, Jeffrey Chodorow’s company was a pioneer in making deals with hotel companies such as Morgans and Mandalay (Pre-MGM) through the success of their original China Grill & Asia De Cuba brands. This year they have embraced nightlife further through work with Tony Theodore, resulting in great success with The Gansevoort Roofdeck pool parties and The Empire Hotel Rooftop. I also hear they have a very sweet rent deal on the Provacatuer space, which formerly housed Ono. It’s these types of deals that have made Mr. Chodorow a very rich man.

Light Group
Estimated Gross Revenue: $125 million
Andrew Sasson started in New York and Miami with his “Jet clubs” – Groovejet, Jet East, Jet 19 and Jet Lounge. Foresight and opportunity led him to Las Vegas to launch “Light” at the Bellagio with Steve Wynn and Chris Barish. Andrew’s ferocity and attention to detail are legendary in the business, and he expects as much from his staff as he gives. Someone once told me a story about Andrew telling his waitresses to slide their hands under all of the tables and banquettes to check for gum. With the help of MGM, partner Andy Masi, and an incredible staff including Liam Dwyer, Andrew has created an empire. He may not have the top-grossing club in the country, but he has a new hotel, The Harmon, coming to City Center, a $70 million beach club opening at Aria, and recently sold 50% of his business to Zabeel Investments based in Dubai. I am also told that Andrew made out pretty well during the heyday of Vegas real estate by selling condos. He didn’t just live the American dream; this Brit ripped it right out of Uncle Sam’s hands.

Victor Drai and Company
Estimated Gross Revenue: $109 million
Quietly staying above the fray, we can’t forget about Drai. Victor Drai created and owned the after-hours scene in Las Vegas with his original restaurant and club, Drai’s. Eventually, through the nightlife missteps of casino mogul Steve Wynn, Drai was brought in to redesign and launch the club at the original Wynn, which we all know as Tryst. Next came XS, which is a juggernaut of a nightclub, drawing record numbers of people and generating some serious revenue. Drai works with managing partners (and twin brothers) Cy and Jesse Waits, who together with Steve Wynn supposedly spent $95 million on the construction of XS. Rumor has it they will not be getting the operating contract for Encore’s $100 million beach club, but they have recently launched Drai’s Hollywood at the W Hotel to make up for it. Drai’s restaurant, Botero, in the Encore has four original works by Botero – two paintings and two sculptures. I wonder which is worth more, the art or the company?

Noah Tepperberg & Jason Strauss
Estimated Gross Revenue: $100 million
What can be said of these guys? They came, they saw, they conquered. Not trying to kiss ass, but they started my career and clearly took the game to another level as the modern day “Rubell and Schrager.” They may not be the highest-grossing company on the list, but they do have the highest-grossing venue. Now, these guys don’t get all the money because of their partnership with Marc Packer, but the $100 million doesn’t even include their flourishing marketing business, Strategic Group. What’s next for these guys? From what I hear, there will be a Lavo Beach Club at the Palazzo and Lavo Midtown in the former Au Bar. I also wouldn’t be surprised if a hotel was in their future, but I would expect at least a 25% increase in revenues in 2010.

N9NE Group
Estimated Gross Revenue: $80 million
The N9NE Group operates restaurants and nightclubs in Las Vegas, Chicago and Dallas. The majority of their revenue comes from partnerships with the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, including the Playboy Club and N9NE Steakhouse. Founded by Michael Morton and Scott Degraff, the name N9NE comes from the age when they met and became friends. The group remains successful in Las Vegas, but has had some issues in Dallas, which caused their steakhouse and Italian restaurant at the American Airlines Arena to close.

One Group
Estimated Gross Revenue: $80 million
Founded by Jonathan Segal and operated by Celeste Fierro, the One Group has built a tremendous business at a breakneck pace. Realizing they were in the right place at the right time, Jonathan’s aggressive deal-making and eye for talent has spawned a hospitality empire that spans the country. Jonathan and his investors are not afraid to do a wide variety of deals, including a freestanding STK Midtown, a hotel deal at the Gansevoort Park, and partnered deals at Tenjune and Bagatelle. They are also one of the few groups that have fully embraced “vibe dining,” always including DJs in the dining room and over-the-top interiors designed by partner Lionel Ohayon. It will be very interesting to see how their business develops in phase two, as the brand begins to mature.

SBE Entertainment
Estimated Gross Revenue: $70 million (Excluding Sam Nazarian’s hotel projects)
Sam Nazarian went after the L.A. hospitality and nightlife market like Tony Montana went after the drug business; he didn’t want a piece, he wanted the whole market and he wanted it yesterday. With the funds, and the balls, he got what he wanted. That ferocity led him on a buying spree that included an exclusive deal with mega-designer Phillipe Starck, a partnership with super promoter, Brent Bolthouse, a new hotel brand and guest spots on Entourage. Now, SBE is in a unique place. Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal have alluded to some financial issues with the SLS Hotels and the Sahara Hotel project planned for Las Vegas. Additionally, from what I am told, his partnership with Brent Bolthouse has been dissolved. It will be interesting to see how this pans out, but you cannot knock what Nazarian has created, especially since his restaurant, Bazaar, is considered by many critics to be the best new restaurant in America.

Gerber Group
Estimated Gross Revenue $64 million
The original gangster of multi-unit operators in the nightlife business, Rande Gerber and his brother, Scott, are still chugging along. They have the only true “chain” of upscale bars and lounges with their Whiskey and Stone Rose brands. From a financial perpective, Scott is the smartest and most efficient nightlife operator. The Gerber brothers still have the inside track on most W Hotel properties and partnerships with some of the biggest names in the game including Related, Delta, Sofitel and Sol Melia (and having Cindy Crawford, George Clooney and Brad Pitt on speed dial doesn’t hurt either). They ran into some problems in Vegas and San Diego, but if they can find their way back into Vegas and continue to maintain slow and steady growth, their gross and net incomes should grow sustainably for years to come.

Opium Group
Estimated Gross Revenue: $50 million
Opium is a partnership between Roman Jones and the brothers Eric & Francis Milon. They are the premiere operators in Miami, dominating the Miami market by monopolizing promoters, creating incredible spaces and not hesitating to spend or partner when it counts. Roman is one of the most unique visionaries in the business, with incredible interiors, great talent relationships (he is a Ronson family member) and equal parts businessman and showman. His partner and marketing director, Justin Levine, is a consummate gentleman and will continue to be a force for the next generation of the group.  Opium has had some issues moving into other markets, namely Las Vegas and New York. With that said, I hear they’re planning to come back to New York with a small space in Soho.

EMM Group
Estimated Gross Revenue: $27 million
So far this has been a big year for Eugene Remm, Mark Birnbaum and their new partner, real estate mogul, Michael Hirtenstein. The opening of Abe and Arthur's and SL has earned them huge success thus far.  They also brought in Jamie Foxx for the launch of Chandelier Room at the W Hotel in Hoboken, not an easy feat. This has gotten Remm and Birnbaum in with W Hotels/Starwood and shows them to be quality operators who can work within a corporate environment. From what I am told, they have also signed a deal for a club in Midtown with Highgate Hotels, re-imagining the Paramount Hotel’s 10,000 square-foot restaurant space, which was once perennial hotspot, Diamond Horseshoe. The above is not inclusive of EMM Group’s marketing revenues.

Scott Sartiano & Richie Akiva
Estimated Gross Revenue: $20 million
They may not be the richest on the list but they are probably the most authentic, as these guys (for better or worse) sometimes shun money for street cred and celebrity friends. Their club 1Oak has been top five in Manhattan for the past two or more years and Butter has been open for over five. They have three projects I hear of in the pipeline for 2010, a Butter Nightclub in North Carolina, a restaurant/club in the former Plumm/Nells space, and a bar below 1Oak (which could be purely speculative). That would spell exponential growth for their team, I just hope they are building the infrastructure to take their considerable talents to the next level.

Joey Morrissey
Estimated Gross Revenue: $20 million
Joey is an industry veteran and a prime example of this business’ transition from the backroom to the boardroom. He owned his first club at the age of 21, Morrissey's, and owned the bridge-and-tunnel market for the past 20 years. He craftily purchased Mansion and Pink Elephant out of bankruptcy and turned them into M2 and Pink. Now he is filling M2 with 2,000 people on Saturdays, grossing on average over $150k on Saturday nights. On New Year’s Eve the club stayed open for 24 hours and grossed $840,000. 

Miami Marketing Group/Dave Grutman
Estimated Gross Revenue: $19 million
Personally, I don’t really know much about Dave or MMG, but I do know that he has a stronghold on the Miami market right now. The Fountainbleu Hotels in Miami and Vegas may have been victims of overzealous boom-time development, but LIV is the number one nightclub in Miami and possibly the country right now. It manages to balance the energy of a big club with the feel of a small club and if you are going to Miami it is a must-see. LIV is the only club giving the Opium Group a run for its money and I am told Grutman is a harsh task master with his staff, demanding performance and getting it. LIV and the Fountainbleu had by far the highest grossing New Year’s Eve event in the country, estimated to bring in almost $2 million. MMG also operates a marketing company, and Blade, a sushi restaurant in the Fountainbleu.

Mike Sinensky & Sean Mcgarr
Estimated Gross Revenue: $18 million
Under the radar Mike and Sean have built an impressive business with Hudson Terrace and their Village Pourhouse brand.  With plans for at least four new Pourhouses throughout Manhattan, Hudson Terrace heading into its second summer and a new vodka brand, these guys show no signs of stopping their growth. Interestingly the majority of their holdings are more neighborhood spots which should allow them to avoid the business' trend cycles.

Cain Leisure
Estimated Gross Revenue: $16 million
Jamie Mulholland, Jayma Cardoso and the rest of Cain Leisure jumped out of the box a couple of years ago with the original Cain, creating an incredibly authentic and powerful nightclub experience. They followed it up with operations in the Hamptons, the Bahamas, and eventually Montauk. They have always held onto their niche within the New York market because of their unwavering dedication to a distinct vision and set of principals, which continues with Goldbar, a boutique club that has developed a strong following under the stewardship of John Lennon. Surf Lodge is the best thing to happen in the Hamptons since Sunset Beach and their partnership with Sol Kerzner at Atlantis should create strong revenues. We are still waiting on Cain’s long-time-coming restaurant twin, Abel. 

Jon Bakshi
Estimated Gross Revenue: $16 million
Jon currently operates Greenhouse and Juliet with a Greenhouse Miami/South Florida opening shortly. He closed Home and Guest House this year which would have greatly increased his gross revenues, but net profit is what really matters. Either way, Jon is a comer. Since a young age, he has always been one of the best at “making every project work” and making money. He has the infrastructure and drive to make deals quickly and fill multiple spaces. He may sometimes lack in attracting the A-list crowd, but all investors really want is money and Jon is a specialist at making it.

Let the debates begin.

See you next week at Cocktail Hour, where more often than not one drink turns into ten and no one knows where and when the night will end.
-AP

“The town will never be the same. After the Tangiers, the big corporations took it all over. Today it looks like Disneyland.  And while the kids play cardboard pirates, Mommy and Daddy drop the house payments and Junior's college money on the poker slots. In the old days, dealers knew your name, what you drank, what you played. Today, it's like checkin' into an airport. And if you order room service, you're lucky if you get it by Thursday. Today, it's all gone. You get a whale show up with four million in a suitcase, and some twenty-five-year-old hotel school kid is gonna want his Social Security Number. After the Teamsters got knocked out of the box, the corporations tore down practically every one of the old casinos. And where did the money come from to rebuild the pyramids?... Junk bonds.”

That’s Ace Rothstein in Martin Scorcese’s Casino referring to the evolution of the casino business from backroom operation to “airport”-sized enterprise. Once corporate America realized how much money there was in count rooms, there was no stopping the big business from taking over. The same evolution is happening in the nightlife industry today. What was once a business headed by entrepreneurs, creative types and street hustlers is now dominated by hotels, casino moguls and national nightlife conglomerates.

As you read this column, casino visionary Steve Wynn is constructing Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub, costing him $100 million. Yes, $100 million… on a nightclub… which means they better sell a lot of Cristal and Dom P.

Andrew Sasson’s Light Group is opening their own beach/nightclub, “Liquid,” at City Center’s Aria Hotel. Rumored price tag: $70 million. That seems like a lot more than Sasson’s New York clubs (Jet Lounge, Jet 19 and Jet East) have earned throughout their entire operation.

Finally, as rumor has it, Strategic Group’s Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss have a $30+ million project in the works.

The catalyst for this massive nightlife-related construction the Las Vegas lifestyle. Tao Las Vegas is raking in gross revenues of approximately $70 million annually, and XS, the nightclub at Encore run by Victor Drai, is generating million-dollar weekends. In a time when casino and “family” revenues are plummeting, the City of Sin’s success is being propped up by the public’s gargantuan appetite for the party lifestyle – at all hours of the day.

Just like the casino business, nightclubs were once run by street-smart hustlers, but the business of the night has shifted from the backroom to the boardroom.

Revenue in New York, though substantial, will never be able to exceed revenues in Las Vegas. Tourists from all over the world fly into Vegas, planning to leave without a dime in their pockets. Additionally, real estate in New York is not priced to allow for Vegas-sized venues. Aside from these differences, New York and Vegas are still very strongly connected. As the world devours American culture, Vegas feeds on New York’s creative capital and talent. Bottom line: there is no Vegas nightlife without the ideas and people of New York, including Tao, China Grill, Sushi Samba, Raos, Light and so many more of New York’s greatest hospitality offerings.  

The real question is how the development of these major national nightlife conglomerates will affect the future of the nightlife business. How much revenue are they all really generating? In 2010, does it now cost millions of dollars to get into the nightlife business, or can a kid from the boroughs still take $250 thousand combined with a new idea – like Steve Rubell & Ian Schrager did – and change the business forever? Will we see the continued development of global nightlife companies or will the street hustlers who started the business blow it up like Scorcese’s semi-fictional characters, Ace Rothstein & Nicky Santoro, bringing down the whole business in a blaze of glory?

 “…but it should'a been perfect. I mean, he (Ace) had me, Nicky Santoro, his best friend, watching his ass and he had Ginger, the woman he loved, on his arm. But in the end we fucked it all up. It should'a been so sweet, too. But it turned out to be the last time that street guys like us were ever given anything that fuckin' valuable again…”

Only time will tell, but for some fun I thought we should delve a little deeper into what type of money the business of the night is really making. This article will continue on Thursday with the first annual “A-List” – an inside look at the 15 largest nightlife companies, their empires and the millions of dollars they’ve generated.  Sure, you read about them in Page Six and US Weekly, but on Thursday you will finally know what they really amount to.

See you next Thursday at Cocktail Hour, where more often than not one drink turns into ten and no one knows where and when the night will end.

-AP