A window into LAX

The plush leather furnishing, red padded walls and sweeping stairwells of LAX remind me of movie portrayals of the Reform Club, the wealthy 19th century British aristocrat's club where author Jules Verne has Phileas Fogg announce he could travel around the world in 80 days. Yesterday I got a walk-through tour of LAX, the soon to open nightclub, at Luxor -- no camera allowed. On Friday, Britney Spears will host and the place will be a madhouse of the hip and beautiful people trying to get inside. But yesterday workmen were still finishing final details, inspections were taking place and boxes of candles, glasses and assorted bar supplies were spread out. Despite the name being imported from L.A., LAX is very much being designed to exist in Vegas. For one thing, LAX takes to the next level in Vegas the profitable trade of renting club real estate to customers for a night: There are many gradations of VIP areas, including tables, booths, boxes, private rooms and even an extraordinary owner's box with huge plasma screens and a window! OK, maybe a window doesn't blow your mind. But usually, besides doors, the only outside view Vegas offers guests at casino level in a resort is in hotel rooms. So, I wasn't surprised to discover that the club had crafted this VIP for rent area out of a former hotel suite.

 

Anyway,  LAX is visually as impressive as the hype has suggested. The new club also has an advantage  from being on the south end of the Strip, relatively distant from Pure and Tao. More important, LAX will be a  much more convenient option for guests on this end of the Strip, especially at sister MGM properties Excalibur and Mandalay Bay that are already linked to Luxor.

 

In other club news, I am hearing that the closing of Tangerine at TI may be delayed. As previously announced on the Buffet, as of now Tangerine is scheduled to close September 1 with Dave Navarro as host and then to reopen New Year's Eve as a new nightclub. Yesterday, Light at Bellagio announced a similar plan. But now Tangerine may be hanging around a bit longer. I will post as soon as I get the official word on Tangerine's future.