Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Rain nightclub to shut down after Saturday Halloween party

Kid Rock @ Rain

Joe Fury/N9NE Group

Kid Rock at Rain Nightclub at the Palms, Sept. 19, 2009.

Rain Nightclub

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The ring of flames shooting from the ceiling above one of Las Vegas’ trend-setting nightclubs will fizzle out this weekend with the closing of Rain.

The 25,000-square-foot club off the Palms casino floor will cease regular operations following Saturday night’s Halloween-themed “Night of the Killer Costumes” party, employees learned at a meeting this afternoon.

Construction is set to begin early next year on a new club, which is still in the planning and design phases, officials at the N9NE Group said.

About 50 employees were notified of the club’s closing. There was no indication as to how many, if any, of their jobs would be affected. Some of the staff works at the Palms’ two other two nightclubs, Moon and Ghostbar, as well as Rain. All are managed by the N9NE Group.

Rain opened in 2001 as one of Las Vegas’ original megaclubs.

With room for 1,800 people, Rain helped establish trends in music and guest services for Las Vegas’ nightlife boom over the past decade.

The club’s signing of Paul Oakenfold to a residency in 2008 has been credited with transforming the city’s dance scene from Top 40 pop to electronic rhythms and superstar DJs.

The club offered exclusive cabanas and VIP areas accessible through a biometric thumbprint scanner. A 20-foot circular truss high above the dance floor featured pyrotechnic, fog and water effects.

After Rain, casinos began stepping up the size of their clubs, from Pure at Caesars Palace and Tao at the Venetian (2005), XS at Encore (2008) and Marquee at the Cosmopolitan (2010).

The club has been featured on MTV shows such as "Real World: Las Vegas" and a Britney Spears special in 2011.

Rain will open one last time Dec. 29-31 for performances by R&B singer Kelly Rowland and a New Year’s Eve show by punk drummer Travis Barker with rapper Yelawolf.

Until demolition begins for the new club, Rain will be available to rent for private events.

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