The Super Bowl isn’t coming to Las Vegas—yet—but that doesn’t mean Vegas can’t go to the game. Tao Group will take over Houston this weekend, collaborating with nightclubs Clé and Spire there for huge parties in Super Bowl 51’s host city.
“We’ve been doing pop-ups for over 15 years,” says Tao Group partner Jason Strauss, noting his recently completed Sundance Film Festival parties and the VIP stages at mega music fests Ultra and EDC. “It’s not only a great way to get our brand out there in multiple markets without having to make a full commitment to a venue, it also allows us to take care of our audience at particular festivals and events. It’s a great opportunity to take care of our VIPs and bring awareness to our business.”
Marquee Las Vegas resident DJ Carnage will perform at Spire Thursday to get the sports party weekend started, and on Saturday night, the Playboy brand—including the iconic bunnies—will take center stage, capped by a performance by Flo Rida.
“We brought Playboy to one of our pop-ups [last year], and it was one of the biggest and most sought-after events at the [Super Bowl],” Strauss says.
At Clé, the Tao takeover includes DJ Vice on Thursday, Tiësto on Friday, Skrillex on Saturday and DJ Snake leading the party after the game Sunday—plus an afterhours event with Nghtmre.
With such top level talent, athletes and celebrities are a lock to make these parties their prime destination before and after football’s main event. “We’re lucky to have relationships with owners at other venues,” Strauss says. “They know us for who we are, we know them for who they are and it’s a great experience learning from each other.”
