Nightlife

JEMAA kicks off its Dayclub season, with others close behind

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Soak up the sun at JEMAA.
Tony Tran

You might not be feeling it yet based on the windy, rainy weather that started this week in Las Vegas, but it’s pool party time. Several major Strip dayclubs are planning to get an early jump on the season this weekend, and one to watch all summer long will be JEMAA – The NoMad Pool Party, kicking off its second season at Park MGM on Friday, March 6.

“Of course the weather will dictate how quickly things ramp up, but we’re opening this first weekend of March, and we’re excited to continue the direction MGM [Resorts] has tasked us with,” says Bryan Bass, vice president of marketing, events and nightlife at MGM Resorts International. “If you look at On the Record and Mayfair [Supper Club] and Mama Rabbit, the venues [this team] has been involved with bringing to life, we’re taking that same approach with pools and daylife.”

Bass says the most frequent feedback heard about JEMAA during its inaugural campaign was, “This is the type of place for me.” Translation: The luxurious rooftop hideaway shadowed by towering hotel buildings met its goal of becoming a true alternative to the mega pools lining the Strip. “We’re never going to have David Guetta, but I don’t think we need that. The market has shown us there is an appetite for something [different] and a little bit more fun.”

Expect to see more themed day parties at JEMAA this year and a continued evolution of the elevated focus on poolside food and beverage offerings. The season-opening bash is set for March 6, with DJ C-LA on March 7 and Bacatme on March 8 rounding out the weekend.

MGM will also be adding to the daylife experience at mainstays Moorea Beach Club (Mandalay Bay) and Bare Pool Lounge (the Mirage), the latter of which had been operated by Hakkasan Group until MGM took control last summer. Both venues offer “European-style” (aka topless) sunbathing, and each has its own loyal following.

“They’re both legacy venues in their own ways,” Bass says. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, just add our fingerprint. Both have really good cocktail programs, and that’s an area we’re adding to, but we’re leaning into the things that set those venues apart. The lobster tacos at Bare have been a hit for a decade, and we’re not looking to change those things.”

Bare and Moorea—both secluded areas set against the more expansive, tropical pool areas at their respective resorts—will be open Friday through Sunday starting March 13.

As for other venues arriving this weekend, there’s Encore Beach Club, which started extra early with a day party on February 29 and continues with three more poolside events this weekend, capped by Cedric Gervais on March 8. Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan opens on March 6, gearing up for grand opening weekend March 20-22 featuring Cheat Codes, Mustard, and the season debut of the Beatwave Music Series, starting with Robin Schulz. Daylight at Mandalay Bay gets things rolling Thursday with DJ Murat, followed by the always-busy DJ C-LA on Friday, Kid Funk on Saturday and J-Nice on March 8 for Lit Sundays.

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Brock Radke

Brock Radke is an award-winning writer and columnist who currently occupies the role of managing editor at Las Vegas Weekly ...

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