The recent announcement that new nightclub concept On the Record will hit the Strip at the end of the year marks two firsts: It’s the first true nightlife experience at Park MGM and the first nightlife venue announced at an MGM Resorts property since Sean Christie joined the company in January as president of events and nightlife.
Christie has been one of Las Vegas’ major nightlife players from his days as managing partner with the Light Group to his opening of several revolutionary venues at Wynn, where his title was executive vice president of business development when he left last year. We checked in with Christie to find out what he’s working on in his new role and more.
On moving on to MGM Resorts International: “What appealed to me most is the people that work here, [executives] who over the years have been important in my life, whether they knew it or not. People are the most important portion of the equation, and then there’s the dynamic and diverse nature of all the different resorts. There are unlimited opportunities.”
On MGM’s tradition of not operating its own nightclubs: “That’s going to change. We’ll always have valuable partners, and we cherish those relationships, but we don’t want to be a one-trick pony in anything. In pushing ourselves to be the leader in entertainment in Las Vegas, if not the world, that’s an area we need to get into fifth gear. We’re working on a couple handfuls of projects.”
On the future of the Bank at Bellagio, which recently closed: “It’s an amazing property that needs to be something, whether it’s nightlife or an installation of some kind, and we are going through that exploration now to assess what that space could be. It will be something to be determined.”
On the Houston brothers from LA and their project, On the Record: “They’ve had great success with so many places in LA, and On the Record will definitely offer a unique experience that hasn’t been replicated in this city. They see the world a specific way, and we want that, and in partnership with them we are making sure the concept and product in the end is appropriate for this market and is the Vegas version of their idea. Everything in Vegas is bigger and better and sprinkled with pixie dust. Presenting famous people, whether it’s an artist or host or DJ, has pretty much been the business model in Las Vegas post-midnight. That’s not what they do at all. Theirs is a much more layered concept. What they do is brick by brick; they want you to experience it from every angle, everything you touch and every place you look.”
