We are barely two months into the new year, and there is already another club closing that has been announced on the Las Vegas Strip. Sources say ROK Vegas at the New York-New York Resort will be closing as of April 1, 2012.

To be honest, this isn’t really a shock. It’s been open for many years and has gotten to that point in the Vegas nightlife scene where it wasn’t drawing in the huge crowds any more.

That’s not to say it didn’t have its good points, including free champagne for ladies from 11-midnight, and a terrace with a great view of the Strip. But it also had its bad points like expensive drinks. Even the water was $5, regardless of if it was bottled or tap. The co-ed bathroom was also an incredibly stupid idea.

At any rate, the source also tells me that the resort plans a quick turn around of the space and it looks like it may become some sort of live performance venue. Whether that is music or some headliner show theater wasn’t exactly clear. Plans are for this new venue to open sometime late spring/early summer 2012.

In the meantime, you can still have a lot of fun at some of resort’s still open venues like Coyote Ugly, Nine Irishmen and Pour 24.

ROK Vegas was a spin-off of the popular Miami club, RokBar Miami, which has also closed.

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ROK Vegas
New York-New York Resort
3790 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 702-740-6969
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[Image courtesy of ROK Vegas]

In previous years, it’s been tradition for one or two new nightclubs to debut on the Las Vegas nightlife scene. But 2011 will close out with three major club openings on the Strip.

Starting at the south end of the Strip is RPM, which will take over the spot where Club Nikki had opened earlier this year. The popular Miami hotspot tried to have an outpost at the Tropicana Hotel, but after less then a year, it just didn’t work out. Now rebranded as RPM, the nightclub will have their New Year’s Eve party hosted by the queen of hip hop, Mary J. Blige.

As we mentioned earlier this year, the long-running Jet nightclub at the Mirage was being replaced by a West Coast outpost of New York City’s popular 1OAK nightclub. Well, they’ve hired Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas to help ring in 2012 and open the club for business in the new year.

Finally, the Bellagio will be welcoming new club Hyde on New Year’s Eve. Cutting the red ribbon and helping them ring in 2012 will be “Modern Family’s” red hot Sofia Vergara. Hyde overlooks the famous Bellagio Fountains, in the space that formerly held the Fontana Lounge.

If you’re looking to attend these or any of the other star-studded New Year’s Eve parties around town, be prepared to shell out between $100 to $150 just for general admission. VIP will set you back at least double that and if you have to ask about the price of a table, just assume you can’t afford it.

Are you planning to be hitting up any of these new clubs for New Year’s Eve? Drop us a line after and let us know how it went.

[Hyde at Bellagio artist rendering courtesy of SBE Entertainment]

In a case of now you see it, now you don’t, the Las Vegas location of McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon has suddenly ceased operations at the Rio resort.

Normally there’s some kind or advanced notice or a closing party when things shutter in Vegas, but there was no fanfare. A posting on the Irish pub’s official website simply reads “Thank you for your support of McFadden’s Vegas over the past few years. We are closed as of December 5th, 2011.”

I admit, other than a visit shortly after the place opened about 4 years ago, I haven’t been back. But Vegas friends in the scene say the bar always seemed to have a decent business. So as of this post, I can’t offer any reason as to the closing.

There hasn’t been any word from the Rio as to what they plan to do with the space, but they say the decision came from McFadden’s to close the place. I’ve have heard rumors that until something more permanent comes along, the Rio plans to reopen the space as a generic Irish pub in the interim. At least this way they can bring in some bucks over the all important New Year’s Eve time period.

McFadden’s also hasn’t announced if they will reopen anywhere else in town. In the meantime, they still have locations open in New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia, among other cities.

[Image courtesy of Michelle Snow]

If you like to club hop in Las Vegas, this news may be of interest to you on your next visit. Caesars Entertainment, which owns several Vegas resorts, is taking their all-you-can-eat buffet pass idea and applying it to their clubs.

Photo courtesy Chateau Nightclub

This new All Night Pass allows the holder to skip the general admission line for seven of its resorts most popular clubs and lounges. The pass also gives the holder unlimited entry for one night to all of said nightlife venues, from 8pm until 8am.

Clubs covered by the pass are: Pure at Caesars Palace; Chateau Nightclub at Paris Las Vegas; Gallery Nightclub and the Pussycat Dolls Burlesque Saloon at Planet Hollywood; VooDoo rooftop nightclub and Crown Nightclub at the Rio; and Carnaval Court at Harrah’s.

The cost for the pass is $44.99 plus tax for Caesars Total Rewards members (it’s free to join) and $49.99 plus tax for non-members. Passes can be purchased on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday only, and are valid starting at 8pm the day of purchase.

Standard nightclub policies including dress code, intoxication and/or capacity still apply. There may also be blackout nights at certain clubs on select nights, so check when you purchase the pass.

So is it worth it? Depends on how much you like to club hop. You also have to figure in the transport time between resorts and whether you’re the kind that can go all night.

If you want to give the pass a try, it can be purchased at the box offices at Bally’s, Paris, Rio, Planet Hollywood, Harrah’s, Flamingo, Imperial Palace, and O’Sheas.