NIGHTS ON THE CIRCUIT: The Empire Looks Back

Tuesday, October 10, 6:30 p.m. Man, you should have heard the stream of expletives uttered in my car the first time I missed the driveway leading behind Walgreens to Empire Ballroom. On the club's opening night last October, I did just that, passing by just feet both the driveway and the endless masses of tourists tottering down the Strip between Harmon and Tropicana. Parking at the Polo Towers being preferable to busting a U-ie on Las Vegas Boulevard, I fired off a few more choice words as I lowered myself down a concrete wall in heels and a little black dress, cutting through a seedy motel where I was offered a lot more than candy before hitting the Strip.

But not tonight. Older (certainly) and wiser (hopefully), I snatch up the last parking spot in the lot just moments before the "That'll be five dollars" boys have a chance to set up their valet stand. "Welcome to our one-year," beams marketing director Adam Gould as he checks my name off the list. Empire Ballroom will celebrate its one-year anniversary much as it began, with an elegant, understated cocktail party, and later, a wild live rock performance. But the difference between this civilized scene and the things that go on within these venerated walls at 5 a.m. couldn't be greater. Partaking of the champagne flutes and mini goat-cheese tartlets feels almost perverse when compared to the scene that goes on while morning newspapers are being tossed under sprinklers. And there is no better proof of the versatility of this club, where I've attended a star-studded hurricane benefit, wild rock concerts, and live performances by the world's top DJs. They're nights you pray never to forget.

Everyone has a story, whether about Utopia, Empire's former incarnation, or Late Night Empire, the after-hours party that has anchored the club's new lease on nightlife. "I'm here for the Sun is Still Up party," jokes nightcrawler Jack Colton of JackColton.com. His face goes blank for a second, trying to remember his wildest Empire night. "It probably involves [lead VIP host] Chad Saunders sliding shots down the bar at me and then me forgetting what happened next." Saunders still laughs about arriving at work one night to find a drooling, pants-less rocker being hauled out the back door before a concert. "The guys in the office were like, 'Yeah, we know. That's the lead singer!'"

Nearly everyone begins their Empire stories with "There was this one time I passed out in the VIP booth/parking lot/entrance hall ..." Tao and Godspeed promotress Kalika Moquin recalls she and Kiki Kuzmirek covering the Empire Ballroom parking lot with Jet flyers while wearing matching pink pajamas. Tao's marketing director Mike Snedegar shows off his Late Night Empress card—numbered 00001. "I love how locals have the run of the place, being able to go on stage when a friend is DJing ... It's like a reunion," he says.

As it moves into its second year of operation, we can expect a lot from Empire Ballroom. Already, eight new U-shaped VIP booths have been installed along the dance floor, replacing the bench seating and velvet-rope stanchions. New plasma screens are in, along with carpeting, lighting and enhancements to the sound system. Removable panels are on their way to the bar, enabling Gino LoPinto (Empire's consulting partner) to seal off the lounge and create two distinct vibes.

In preparation for winter, the patio is being upgraded with fresh paint, LED ceiling panels, improved heating and new furniture. Downstairs, the main entrance will be relocated to its old Utopian glory on the building's Strip-side, letting everyone stay club-ready in any kind of weather. In November, Empire will finally get a proper lighted sign on the Strip and get a brand-spanking new Red Bull DJ booth; too late, I'm afraid, for DJ Portia Surreal's nearly-topless performance October 29. New prime-time hours will be added in 2007, too, as will a huge new Thursday after-hours event.

LoPinto's final words on the future are also his most ominous: "Look for us to be the only dance music-focused venue, as well as the last free-standing big club in Vegas." Could the end of the Ice age be near?

Xania Woodman thinks globally and parties locally. And frequently. E-mail her at
[email protected] and visit
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