Courtesy Rockwell Group
A rendering of Fontainebleau’s LIV Nightclub
Monday, Dec. 11, 2023 | 2 a.m.
A striking design, ultra-luxurious accommodations and surroundings and a vast array of new-to-market dining concepts — these have been the most talked-about and anticipated features of Fontainebleau Las Vegas. But when the north Strip casino and hotel finally opens its doors on Wednesday, visitors will begin to learn that live entertainment and nightlife are equally big pieces of the picture, rounding out a full and fresh Vegas resort experience.
“The Fontainebleau brand is synonymous with entertainment, going back to the Rat Pack era,” said Fedor Banuchi, senior vice president of entertainment, special events and sponsorships. The original Fontainebleau hotel opened in Miami in 1954 and has been favored by celebrities through the decades, including Frank Sinatra and his pals, who famously spent plenty of time in Vegas casinos as well.
“Our owners are very supportive of entertainment and believe it’s important, and that’s given us the ability to go into the marketplace and compete,” Banuchi said. “When more shows start to get announced, the public will really see this as an entertainment destination. We’re really going after the top of the top.”
Hitmaking hip-hop artist Post Malone will open the property’s 3,800-seat BleauLive Theater on Dec. 30 and 31. Live Nation is the Fontainebleau’s partner in booking the space, which will focus on touring acts rather than filling dates with residency shows.
“It’s an interesting size and the facility itself is beautiful. Guests are going to feel like they’ve entered the most modern, luxurious facility, and of course it has all the bells and whistles a brand new theater should,” Banuchi said. “Because of the long lead time we had to create it, the operations team really got involved and engineered it to make operating it amazing from the production level. That should make it one of the best rooms in the city, if not the best.”
There will be a variety of other venues on the property, including the cocktail centric Nowhere Lounge, where free live music will be part of the programming on a weekly basis. And then there’s LIV Nightclub, also transplanted from Miami by Groot Hospitality, which has been planning an expansion to the Las Vegas Strip since it first opened in 2008.
Founder David Grutman said he’s had a lot of opportunities to open in Las Vegas but none felt like the perfect fit he has with Fontainebleau Development CEO Jeffrey Soffer. “At the end of the day, we couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to put so many exciting venues under one roof with the person who has helped build my hospitality DNA,” Grutman said. “It’s the perfect scenario. And Vegas is the most competitive market hospitality-wise in the world, so it’s good to have a great team that you know cares and wants to succeed.”
In addition to LIV, one of the most successful and profitable nightclubs in the country, Grutman is also bringing his Papi Steak and Komodo restaurants to Fontainebleau Las Vegas, and these venues are situated in close proximity to create an energetic nightlife district. The company’s LIV Beach pool club is set to make its debut in the spring.
Malone is expected to appear and perform at LIV on New Year’s Eve as well, and the club has also booked DJ John Summit and hip-hop artist Metro Boomin for this week’s opening events.
“When it comes to openings, there’s only one way for us to go and that’s as big as possible,” Grutman said. “We love doing things in a bigger, better way, in an exciting way, and in our way. The first year is going to be exciting and new for everybody but we’re long-ball players. We’ve been around for 16 years in Miami and we’re going to love being around for a long time in Las Vegas.”
