Interactive. Immersive. Experiential. These are key words in Omnia’s pre-opening campaign. We won’t know exactly how they apply until Hakkasan Group’s latest venue—which replaces Pure at Caesars Palace—introduces itself to the public on March 12. So we’ve answered the big questions, with the help of Omnia brass, to provide a more practical guide to local nightlife’s big new addition.
What’s Omnia got that Pure didn’t and Hakkasan hasn’t? Pure was the Miami-style club that put celebrity guests on display before and after their trip to the DJ booth. Hakkasan is all about the eye candy—the visual effects and design, usually operating in lock-step with the DJ in the booth. It would seem that Omnia is striving for the latter, but with more elegance. “With Omnia, we believe we’ve created a space that is unlike anything the Las Vegas market has seen before,” says Alex Cordova, Hakkasan Group’s executive VP of marketing. “The development includes opulent design merged with state-of-the-art technology to create a truly dynamic environment.”
He also explains that Omnia will be more performance-friendly than its competitors, and will allow for more “fan interaction.” Will that mean the Beliebers can reach out and touch Justin during his 21st birthday celebration Saturday night?
What’s it look like? Fancy. Gold. Purple. And tall. Omnia has four stories, having incorporated the vaulted ceilings of the former Caesars poker room. Which means the space grew out from Pure’s original 36,000 square feet to 75,000. The height is a good thing for the dancefloor (more on that in a minute), as the upper levels will accommodate bottle-service customers.
What element will supply the technological wow factor? The main-room chandelier, according to Cordova: “Omnia’s 22,000-pound kinetic chandelier … is made of eight concentric circles, each of which can move independently from one another at a rate of four feet per second and is suspended directly above the dancefloor; comprised of LEDs, projection panels, sparkling crystals and its immense size, the chandelier is the dramatic focal point of the entire room.” Sounds also like the potential focal point of local Instagram accounts once the club officially opens. (Remember how inescapable the illuminated disco polyhedron was upon the opening of Drai’s Nightclub last May?)
Also, Cordova casually mentions “interactive LED panels” for the main room. We can’t wait to find out what that means come Thursday, as the construction specialist I privately spoke with a few months ago said that this feature would actually be the club’s real wowser.
What about the dance element? Omnia is boasting one of the largest dancefloors in Las Vegas, which may be a lesson learned from sister club Hakkasan’s typically tight boogie space. What’s interesting is that Hakkasan Group not only consulted with some of its exclusive DJs to “see what tech enhancements would catapult their sets beyond the average nightclub experience,” as Cordova puts it, but positioned the DJ booth so the talent could play in the round, visible from every angle—which you don’t often see in Las Vegas nightclubs.
What musical styles will be featured in the club? The previously announced artist roster confirms the main room will be primarily EDM: Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, Chuckie, etc. Up at the rooftop garden, don’t necessarily expect the house sounds once associated with Pure’s outdoor terrace—it’s open format, which usually means Top 40 and older favorites. Ditto for the Heart of Omnia ultralounge, though its residents, such as Questlove, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rev Run and our own DJ Five, would suggest a hip-hop slant for that room.
Speaking of Heart of Omnia, why is that part of the club VIP only? If Joe Ticketholder is a big Questlove fan, he’ll have to wait until The Roots’ drummer plays Hakkasan’s Ling Ling Club—or upgrade to table service. “With Omnia being a multi-faceted destination, we wanted to ensure that the space had an experience for every individual that visited,” Cordova says. “Not all of our guests have the desire to be within the main club experience for the duration of the evening with an electronic music setting; some guests may be looking for a more intimate setting that’s the exclusive offering of Heart of Omnia.”
Omnia Thursday-Sunday & Tuesday, doors at 10 p.m., cover varies. Caesars Palace, 702-785-6200.
