New club Jewel to shine where Haze fell dark at Aria
A rendering of Hakkasan Group’s nightclub Jewel, which is going in the former space of Haze at Aria in the spring of 2016.
Through the haze, there will be a gleaming object.
And Jewel is what we’ll call it.
That’s the new nightclub set to open in place of Haze at Aria in the spring of 2016, a move to be formally announced today by club operator Hakkasan Group.
Hakkasan took over the nightspot in its purchase of the Light Group in December and is partnering with MGM Resorts and Dubai World to end a more than yearlong absence of a major nightclub in the opulent Strip resort.
Haze closed in November. The space near Aria’s north entrance has since sat dark.
“There was a lot of enthusiasm for us doing this sooner rather than later,” said Hakkasan Group President Nick McCabe, “but I give credit to MGM Resorts in giving us the kind of lead time we need to design and invest to develop the kind of product this market expects from Hakkasan.”
Sitting in on the call with McCabe was Hakkasan CEO Neil Moffitt, who added, “We’re not interested in opening a product that won’t make a difference. We are very focused on making a difference with Jewel.”
Jewel is to be considerably smaller than the two nightlife fortresses opened by Hakkasan the last two years on the Strip (Hakkasan at MGM Grand is 80,000 square feet, and Omnia at Caesars Palace is 75,000 square feet).
But as the operators say, Jewel was chosen as a name because it reminds of a jewel box, full of fanciness.
“It has an intimate nature. A jewel is very precious,” McCabe said. “It’s a perfect descriptor.”
The club’s architect is a familiar entity: Rockwell Group, which also designed Omnia and will offer a high measure of refinement that has become a requirement among Strip nightclubs over the last five years.
The club will be a multilevel venue, as are Omnia and Hakkasan, with a main club and mezzanine level outfitted with tucked-away VIP suites.