Don't call what's been going on at Studio 54 a remodeling so much as a face-lift. And when you're the oldest hotel-casino nightclub in Vegas at the hoary age of 8 (which in Vegas time is the equivalent to, oh, 32 anywhere else in the world), certainly no one is going to hold it against you if you get a little tuck and pinch done.
Not that the MGM Grand's premier dance club really needed it. The club has held up surprisingly well over the years, thanks in large part to its many themed nights involving ultra-violet body painting and playing dress-up with live models, not to mention the club's standard repertoire of aerialists, confetti drops and top DJs.
But some changes were necessary in order to keep Studio 54 as vibrant as it was when it opened its doors December 25, 1997. One of the most obvious changes will come when patrons arrive at those doors, only to find them essentially moved closer to the hall leading out to Las Vegas Boulevard. That alteration allows the club to utilize a full 3,000 square feet that previously had been nothing but unused storage, making it into a grand entry hall with 22-foot-long sheer drapes running from floor to ceiling.
According to Michael Milner, executive director of nightclub entertainment, the desire behind the new entrance is to create a sense of expectation. Previously, patrons entered the club through what could accurately be described as the narrow part of a funnel, emerging out onto the center floor. With the old design, the effect was to stun partygoers ... and it was something that worked too well, says the club's new general manager, Travis Hunsaker, with patrons stopping in their tracks while crowds built up behind them.
During a recent hard-hat tour, Milner explained that the new entrance will also double as a casual space for regrouping and impromptu planning, with couches, 7-foot high-back chairs, plants and fiber-optic chandeliers adding to the comfortable vibe. As an added attraction in the foyer will be an alcove housing Mr. Freeze, a past member of the legendary breakdancing and hip-hop group called the Rock Steady Crew. When Mr. Freeze isn't demonstrating his breaking and popping abilities, the framed space will feature a Pepper's Ghost projection.
Upon entering Studio 54, folks will now see the entire length of the 25,000-square-foot club, a view that is even more impressive than the old one, encompassing not only the dance floor and massive disco ball and Studio 54 sign, but also the redesigned second-floor VIP area and the completely new "DJ Playhouse."
Elevated three feet off of the dance floor, the playhouse will not just be the DJ booth but also a private lounge for the DJ's crew, hangers-on and assorted groupies and VIPs. But a space like that can only accommodate so many people, especially after things like a soundboard and turntables take up space, so most of the VIPs will be found upstairs.
The previous second-floor VIP section had been separated from the balcony overlooking the main dance floor by a walkway. No more. Now the area extends all the way to the new glass railings that provide even better lines of sight. Though the public will now be allowed to cross through what used to be verboten territory, the overall seating has been dramatically increased eight times, now totaling 20 tables capable of seating 126 revelers. And that's not counting the ones who might be dancing on the tables a la Tabú, Studio's sister hotspot.
And people, not to worry; I have it on Milner's word that when the club reopens December 27, those tasty VIP sandwiches will still be there. Some things are just too good to mess with.