Palms shakes up its entertainment execs
THE Palms is retooling its nightlife-dayclub lineup once more by enlisting two Strip resort veterans. Ronn Nicolli ,a former marketing exec with Wynn Las Vegas, and Ryan M. Craig, late of MGM Resorts International, are onboard at the hotel.
In this swing, famed Las Vegas nightlife officials Cy and Jesse Waits are departing the Palms. The hotel has also announced that move, saying the brothers and parent company Red Rock Resorts Inc. “jointly agreed to terminate the employment arrangements” of the Waitses’ Social Experience nightlife company.
Nicolli and Craig will help with the hotel’s property-wide $690 million transformation expected to be finished by September. Nicolli’s new title is senior vice president of creative strategy, and Craig is senior vice president of nightlife, daylife and events. They will report to hotel GM Jon Gray.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Ronn and Ryan to the Palms team,” Gray said in a statement. “Each has made incredible contributions to best-in-class nightlife and hospitality venues and offerings in Las Vegas, and we are confident that their wealth of experience and dynamism will add significant value to the property going forward.”
Nicolli, a 13-year nightlife and hospitality marketing vet, is reportedly responsible for boosting the hotel’s nightclub and dayclub marketing strategies. Craig, with 14 years of nightlife and hospitality experience, helped steer several MGM Resorts nightclub openings, is helping lead operations for all of the hotel’s nightclub and dayclub venues.
The moves mean that the Palms is no longer using outside companies as nightlife-dayclub partners. In October, the Palms and Tao Group ended their agreement to partner in the pool and dayclub/nightclub venue on the east side of the property, along with Chris Santos’ Vandal restaurant. Palms will continue to develop that space without Tao’s involvement.
Left unknown is the Waitses’ plans. They cannot comment about the departure because of their agreement with the Palms, but we do expect some update from them, soon.
Zowie on ice
Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie has written his first original song, “Road to Victory,” which is an ode to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The gyrating, blond-frocked showman is the star of a new VGK video being broadcast as a cross-promotion between the team and Las Vegas NBC affiliate KSNV, Channel 3. The clip was recorded at 3rd Street Stage at The D Las Vegas on Fremont Street Experience, where Zowie Bowie performs Thursdays and Saturdays.
The video is set to air during the station’s prime-time lineup and also during its Golden Knights’ coverage. Groovers abound, including Mayor Carolyn Goodman and
Oscar Goodman, and members of the Channel 3 on-air lineup. If you look closely enough, you can spot The D Las Vegas co-owner Derek Stevens, too.
It’s a stroke of luck for Phillips, who was a natural fit for the project because of his connection to The D, which is the Golden Knights’ official downtown Las Vegas promotional partner. The hotel stages official watch parties at Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.
Phillips is thus fortunate to be the entertainer fronting this effort, and he is forever grateful, saying, “It’s quite an unexpected, odd gift out of nowhere.”
Light it up
On the topic of holiday frivolity, where can you find Mayor Goodman and Rep. Dina Titus appearing with the cast of “Chippendales”? At the annual Opportunity Village Magical Forest lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. Friday.
The two elected officials are joined by performances from Venetian headliners Human Nature and Lorena Peril of “Fantasy” at Luxor. Santa arrives via Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters at 6 p.m. at the attraction at 6300 W. Oakey Blvd.
The Magical Forest is open nightly starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday through Dec. 31. Cost is $12 for adults, $10 for kids. Full-access passports for all of the rides and attractions cost $22 for adults, $19 for children. Info is at magicalforest. com.
Cool hang alert
A man who always commits, Franky Perez, is back with his FXP rock outfit at Count’s Vamp’d music club at 6750 W. Sahara Ave. at 10 p.m. Friday. The Las Vegas native’s show is a full-scale rock experience, covers mixed with originals. The backing band is Christian Brady of Hellyeah, Corky Gainsford of Code
Red Riot and Michael “Doc” Ellis of Original Sin and The Hellenbacks. No cover, but maybe run for cover, in this one.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @ Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday:
1. Laurel Babero, Nevada bankruptcy judge, has died
A Nevada bankruptcy judge was found dead Monday at a federal court building in downtown Las Vegas, officials said.
2. Rebels in Ruins: Is eliminating football UNLV’S solution?
With UNLV struggling to draw fans and keep interest in the Las Vegas market, should eliminating football be an option for the Rebels athletics department?
3. Station Casinos buys 40 acres of land in Skye Canyon
The locals-focused casino operator bought around 40 acres of land in the Skye Canyon community, in the upper northwest valley, for $36 million.
4. Raiders stadium looking at alternatives to NV Energy power
The Las Vegas stadium isn’t expected to be complete until the 2020 football season, but those behind it are already considering energy providers other than NV Energy.
5. Flamingo reopens after three-vehicle crash in southwest Las Vegas
Flamingo Road at El Capitan Way has reopened after a three-vehicle crash early Tuesday forced the street to be closed for several hours. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday:
1. Rebel Nation: Rebels in Ruins
Cassie Soto and Mark Anderson preview the
Rebels in Ruins five-part series of articles and podcasts about what UNLV will do with their sports program.
2. Rebels in Ruins: The fall of UNLV athletics
Discounting a brief return to basketball prominence when Lon Kruger was coach, it has been decades since either of the Rebels’ primary sport has been described as on the rise.
3. Gerard Gallant on loss to Calgary
Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant talks to the media after a 7-2 loss against Calgary.