Seize the day and the night: Las Vegas club culture is always on the move

When former Swedish House Mafia superstar DJ Steve Angello announced a two-year residency at SLS Las Vegas’ LiFE nightclub beginning Nov. 22, it solidified the Los Angeles-imported hotel and lifestyle brand’s arrival on the Vegas Strip — and reinforced the ever-evolving nature of club life in Sin City.

More than ever, nightclubs and dayclubs are not just standalone venues inside of casinos, but essential parts of the Vegas resort experience. The aesthetic of sophistication, exuberance and worldliness that permeates the modern Strip is an extension of club culture, with its influence felt everywhere from the pulsating casino floor of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas to DJ-fueled dining at Andrea’s inside Encore.

Daytime parties — once relegated to a few hotels’ multi-use pool areas — have become almost as prominent as their night-time companions, with venues such as Wet Republic, Encore Beach Club and Marquee Dayclub offering the same top-line DJs, killer sound and VIP amenities.

But poolside partying isn’t limited to summer anymore. Marquee recently installed a 50-foot tall dome over its outdoor venue. It not only keeps the dayclub warm and protected from the elements, but also provides state-of-the-art lighting for a richer party experience — and one that doesn’t end just because the leaves are turning brown.

“The festival-style dome and pools are heated, which means club goers will be swimming even in January – no matter the temperature outside,” said TAO Group partner Jason Strauss. “The dome also serves as an extension of the nightclub at night, and while there is no swimming at night, it is a great way to party under the stars.”

Other venues in Las Vegas are getting entirely new lives. Last year, Hakkasan Las Vegas launched at MGM Grand’s former Studio 54 space as a sprawling, five-story fine dining and nightlife venue.

“When we opened Hakkasan, we combined our nightlife and entertainment expertise with a respected global restaurant brand to create an all-encompassing experience that didn’t exist in Las Vegas,” said Hakkasan Group president Nick McCabe.

Hakkasan Group will work its magic next on the multi-level space formerly known as PURE Nightclub at Caesars Palace, which will be reborn as Omnia in spring 2015. In addition to a headlining main room, the 75,000-square-foot venue is slated to feature an ultra-lounge and a rooftop garden offering panoramic views of the Strip.

“We are extremely proud of what has been achieved with Hakkasan and we learned a lot along the way that we have taken with us as we introduce Omnia,” said McCabe. “We are constantly challenging ourselves to find new ways to impress our guests with all of our hospitality venues, and there will be some elements in Omnia that will undoubtedly be wow moments, combined with the level of service and opulence that Hakkasan Group is known for.”

Hakkasan will launch a San Diego location of Omnia about the same time, transforming former Gaslamp Quarter nightlife staple Stingaree into its own vision of Vegas-style nightlife.

— From Nightclubs.Vegas