Trouble in playa-dise?
Things went smoothly enough up and down the Strip this New Year’s weekend at all the clubs and lounges joining the Las Vegas nightlife pantheon. But since the fireworks smoke has cleared, stories have begun to emerge from one new lounge that speak of anything but a happy New Year.
We hear that an estimated 100 or more staff members of 40/40 have been reportedly escorted off-property or walked off the job. Since then, the disgruntled have made wide-but-cautious use of forums such as MySpace, Craigslist, TMZ and good old-fashioned word-of-mouth to say their piece. Reports have included on-the-spot, mid-shift terminations without investigations; use of the N-word from an owner; threats; degrading treatment; and a complete lack of preparedness for the December 30 opening. The controversial debut went down as planned, though only just. As was widely reported, the venue obtained the necessary permits just in the nick of time.
At the center of the matter is the elusive Desiree Perez (aka Desiree Gonzalez), 40/40’s operating partner and wife of co-owner Juan Perez; through a PR rep she declined to respond to the allegations that quickly appeared in the blogosphere. Manager Ramon Mata said, “As with all new businesses, you find out in your first few days of operations what staffing levels are needed. We adjusted accordingly and followed all rules and regulations in terms of employees that were let go.”
The first firing reportedly occurred December 30, even before the opening, when a manager was sacked for questioning operational procedures, procedures on which, supposedly, no one received adequate training. Of the original 10 opening managers, only two remain.
Staff members (anonymous due to a confidentiality agreement with the club) say that the first time they got to work with the cash-register system (different from venue to venue) was roughly one hour prior to doors opening. Our sources attest to a strict “no comp” policy, which left them—bartenders, cocktail servers and even managers—stranded and having to dip into their own tips and wallets to cover spills and breakage.
After that, handfuls of staff disappeared together at one time: 55 of the 90 security staff were allegedly let go at closing early December 31, according to one former manager. Another manager witnessed five bartenders assigned to work off just two banks being fired simultaneously when one bank turned up short. No immediate investigation was made, and though the banks together were said to add up properly, none of the bartenders was brought back, and the tips for all fired personnel haven’t materialized.
“I’ve seen the worst of the worst and the best of the best,” said one industry veteran, saddened by his six-day run with 40/40. Like many, he is now unemployed. “This is an industry town, and you cannot treat your staff like this.” Indeed, it was a shock to many staff members who relocated from New York and LA when they showed up for their first meeting and saw that they were legion. The Weekly was even told point-blank by one manager on opening night that, “We’ve got 300 on [staff] for New Year’s weekend,” but that the number would be cut dramatically after the holiday, leading one to assume that the owners planned to overstaff and then scale back. There would be nothing wrong with this if the ranks had been bolstered by temporary hires, handled much in the same way a Gap or Toys R Us gets through the holiday shopping rush. But all of the seven former staff members who spoke with the Weekly report that they were hired as regular employees and managers with the expectation to at least outlast the week.
Even spurned employees admitted that, like baseball’s elite 40/40 club, after which the night spot is named, Jay-Z’s new sports lounge is as shiny a diamond as any on his watch, but what would Jay say about back-to-back 12- to 22-hour shifts, public ridicule and a mandatory one-year noncompete form? And would he stand for it? Other concepts arriving from NY, LA and beyond with a similarly ungraceful clatter have been quick to get with the “we’re all in this together” Vegas program, so we remain optimistic and willing to give this place a 40/40 chance.
Tabu has a Confession
Have you noticed that there are never churches close by the places where you commit the worst sins? Tired of the long commute to the confession booth? Then beginning January 13, you can swing by Tabu for its new industry night, where you can get your sinning and confession done in the same place.
Each month, Confession Sundays will offer a different sin-themed party, beginning with everyone’s favorite, Lust. Forbidden desires and guilty pleasures will unfold to the beat of DJs Tony Arzadon and Nathan Scott. Then, guests can admit their transgressions inside Tabu’s Confession photo booth. There will even be a resident psychic on hand, performing free tarot-card readings for ladies, in case they want to confess first and sin afterward. Tabu’s popular Super Slide Sundays hosted by Mr. Freeze of the Rock Steady Crew will relocate to the last Thursday of each month.