Robin Antin, creator/founder/choreographer/megababe of the Pussycat Dolls, may have finally hit on the right equation of balanced entertainment with the Pussycat Dolls Casino (soft opening now, grand opening March 3). Located just outside the Pussycat Dolls Lounge and Pure Nightclub in Caesars Palace, the area is sexy on every level: Sexy blackjack dealers anchor the sexy craps, a sexy six—wheel complements the sexy roulette tables, and the merchandise area is filled with sexy clothes. How is a table sexy, you ask? Each table's legs are indeed legs, dressed up in fishnet stockings, ending in stiletto heels, and the playing felt is tattooed with custom Pussycat logos. The chairs sparkle with pink fabric and sassy leopard prints under the hanging chandeliers. See? Sexy.
Yet, if the furniture continues to consume your attention, there could be a problem. The main attractions are the dealers, with outfits designed by Ms. Antin herself. Adding to the sizzle and making sure nobody has the attention span to count cards are the two go—go dancers doing their burlesque in bronze cages hanging overhead. "It's crazy," says Antin. "We started this thing 12 years ago in a garage, and now after the success of the music group and the lounges, it is just unbelievable to have it expand into something like this."
If that all seems geared to the guys, rest assured that drawing women is a huge part of the plan. The new merchandise area offers Pussycat tank tops, shorts with "Doll" pasted across the bum and the zippered hoodie made infamous by the "Buttons" video, with lingerie slated to be available soon. (Hey, shopping and gambling go together these days.) Whereas other party pits just chased the men, the Pussycat mantra of "inside every woman is a Pussycat Doll" brings female empowerment to the pass line.
"I have seen just as many women at the tables as men, if not more," Antin adds. "Caesars Palace and [Caesars president] Gary Selesner came to me and said, ‘Your brand is so strong, your message is so strong. It's for women, it's for men, old people and young people. What else can we do to expand the concept?' The gaming pit was the natural choice. It's young and fresh and for everyone."
Music plays over the area, ranging from classic burlesque tunes to Gwen Stefani, Fergie and the Pussycat Dolls (probably not a coincidence all are Interscope—signed artists). The dealers sing along, and the cages rattle with choreography. "It is like a teaser as to what happens inside the lounge; new and sexy with an old school twist," Antin says. "We are doing something that has never been done before."
As the pace picks up for the March 3 opening, expect the kick—off to fall nothing short of the star—studded talent that usually follows the brand. Christina Aguilera performs in town that weekend, and the LA Pussycat Dolls open for her, so it's not out of the question that both could make an appearance. "I have a lot of great invites out there but nothing is confirmed yet," Antin says of the guest list for the opening party. "Regardless, the night will be hot."
Justin Jimenez firmly believes we should draft beer, not people. And he always sees better through the bottom of an empty glass. The associate editor for Las Vegas Magazine, he can be reached at [email protected].