Trader Vic's to open in VEGAS!! (Closed)

I was fortunate to meet with Sven Koch, Vice President of Trader Vic's, on his visit to Atlanta last week. We spoke of Tiki Torch Nights and he was happy that Trader Vic's Atlanta has new life and we are celebrating Tiki.

When I asked about future locations he mentioned Hawaii but also mentioned Vegas as I posted in another topic. Can you imagine? He said it would be very large and very traditional. The slated date, if I remember correctly after 2 Mai Tai's was September 2005. They are still scouting out a location at this time.

Yee-Haw & Aloha,

The World of Tiki Kiliki

[ Edited by: Bora Boris - Updated title to current status. - 2011-08-15 06:20 ]

All I can do is reply with a four letter word---ZAZZ!!!! :)

On 2004-08-08 17:06, tiki_kiliki wrote:

When I asked about future locations he mentioned Hawaii but also mentioned Vegas

---

Did he mention a location? Maybe near the Hawaiian market?

TBird.

No location was mentioned as far as Hawaii but next time I speak with him I'll get all the details that I can!

A friend of mine while sipping Mai Tai's in Bora Bora once came up with a huge concept hotel in Vegas. It would have a giant lagoon with several overwater bungalows like in Tahiti. It would be an open place with a small beach ala Manadalay bay and we would have a daily rain shower.

Aloha, Pacific Andy.

The Hilton here in Vegas used to have something similar.

They had a big tall room that had a big Enchanted Tiki Hut style tree with animatronic birds, maybe 30 or 40 feet high.

The sky had blinking stars, and the Benihana Resturaunt used to have walk ways to semiprivate decks for drinks and dining.

The area would have half hourly rainshowers from above that would strategically miss the decks, but would do about a 270 degree circle around them.

The area had streams and ponds around the decks and the walls would have occasional LED-imaged fireworks.

All gone now, but it was a target rich environment for a Tiki aficionado with a fake ID, back in the day.

[ Edited by: Geeky Tiki on 2004-08-09 13:17 ]

Now that you mention it I remember the old Hilton hotel - It was downstairs from what I remember, see nothing is new.

I've heard a rumor online that the new Trader Vic's will be located inside the Planet Hollywood hotel/casino. Apparently owner Bruce Willis is a huge fan of the restaurant. Tiki Gods willing, I hope this is true...

Oh, I just checked the Trader Vics web site and it gives an opening date of September 2007!

yeah, last week it said june 2007. woopdie doo.

Good News. September is close enough - I would love for it to be Labor Day weekend.

On 2007-05-15 14:13, Tikinaut wrote:
I've heard a rumor online that the new Trader Vic's will be located inside the Planet Hollywood hotel/casino. Apparently owner Bruce Willis is a huge fan of the restaurant. Tiki Gods willing, I hope this is true...

Yes, it is true. I had no idea that the Alladin is now Planet Hollywood.

On 2007-05-15 18:54, christiki295 wrote:
Yes, it is true. I had no idea that the Alladin is now Planet Hollywood.

Well...it is and it isn't. It's actually a Starwood hotel now (they operate Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Four Points, aLoft brands) and this newly re-flagged hotel now operates and is managed as a Sheraton hotel, within an ownership and licensing partnership with Planet Hollywood.

It has already been re-flagged as the "Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino - A Sheraton Hotel" See:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1514

The deal was actually put together and announced back in 2004, and they've been slowly remodeling and converting the old Aladdin since then. Here's the old Press Release from 2004:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=78669&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=609115

Last I heard, Trader Vic's had an option on a lease in the "Desert Passage" mall that was adjacent to the Planet Hollywood Sheraton. If that's still the case, "connected to" might be a better term than "inside" the Planet Hollywood Sheraton.

I'm a happy camper with all this, as I happen to be a Starwood Platinum...highest level of their frequent stay program...which gives me complimentary suite upgrades and other VIP perks at Starwood properties worldwide. So the thought of this particular hotel with a new Trader Vic's in it or connected to it...makes me very happy, and will give me the perfect excuse to stay there. :)

[ Edited by: PremEx 2007-05-15 20:04 ]

Back in 2004 when this was discussed with Kiliki, they said it was to be the largest and most traditionally decorated TV since Atlanta was built. I hope they keep to that. They also wanted Kiliki to plan the opening party. So all you people out there dissing the TV, take note. They are great people.

all i know is that pinnochio is running the trader vics empire now.....LIARS!!!!

-still waiting for trader vics to reopen in chicago. I vote we post nothing about trader vics till it actually happens.......all they do is screw with us.

On 2007-05-16 08:19, Tipsy McStagger wrote:
all i know is that pinnochio is running the trader vics empire now.....LIARS!!!!

-still waiting for trader vics to reopen in chicago. I vote we post nothing about trader vics till it actually happens.......all they do is screw with us.

Maybe this ought to be posted in the Chicago thread, but I heard from my contact at Harry Caray's just two days ago, and she said that they still do not have a location for Chicago. They have seen and liked at least two places, and both deals apparently fell apart. So they continue to search.
I'll repost this in the Chicago thread.

I can CONFIRM the Trader Vic's at Planet Hollywood in Vegas!!! I was walking by the construction on the old "desert passage". The building at the far left entrance was being gutted. BUT, low and behold, at the top of the building... SIGNAGE!!!!

The Trader Vic's sign is up on top of the building in large brown (outlined in white) letters!!! Its a brand new sign.

There was scaffolding and construction ACTIVE on the interior. It looks to be TWO stories (possibly 3).

I was in Vegas for VLV at the start of April, I snapped this photo in the Desert Passage mall, so I figured I'd add this, not that it's a major development, but since I have it, here it is! :)

There website indicates a September opening. :)

Let's hope it doesn't look like Destin.

They probably robbed Peter(B.H.TV) to pay Paul...Decor wise...That really might not be so bad if that is the case...

It certainly would have been nice if some of the goodies from Taboo Cove were saved and reused at Vic's...oh well...pie in the sky.

Because the Aladdin is going under, they were bought out by Planet Hollywood, another suspect investor... hopefully Trader Vic's will not suffer a similar fall out! I guess the only way to succeed would be in a casino - but ugh! I hate casinos and going anywhere within a couple of miles from the strip! Then again, Fremont Street wouldn't be a better location either (good luck CBGBs!).

from the exterior of Planet Hollywood Formerly Aladdin:

wow..this is lookin bad already.....

Let's get a reality check here, it is not meant for us.

the lettering in the sign is actually not bad...

..they should put another line of type under it that reads....

TRADER VICS

"serving zombies to zombies"

[ Edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2007-06-11 14:39 ]

How about

TRADER VICS

"Serving Zombies to the Unwashed Masses"

[ Edited by: hiltiki 2007-06-11 15:33 ]

Suffering bastards.

On 2007-06-11 20:39, tikibars wrote:
Suffering bastards.

..that would be us tiki folk, trying to enjoy our trader vics experience amongst the rest of that useless mainstream rabble that will no doubt be overunning the place when it opens....

What you can't read on that sign, is the last line, which says:

"Exclusive After Hours Ultra-Lounge"

Yea! Just what the doctor ordered- bottle service so you can make your own drinks at a bar that is FAMOUS for its drinks!

I know it's the Vegas trend, but how totally fucking stupid.

And let's not forget...it's in Planet Hollywood (or PH, as the sign says)

I don't see them "fitting in" and I don't see them lasting.

Oh Taboo Cove!! Oh Vegas...When will you @#$ learn?

I'm heading to Vegas in mid to late October for 3 days. Hopefully TV will be open by then and I'll provide a report -- although someone is bound to beat me to it assuming it opens on time in September.

The new website does not give me hope... http://www.tradervicslv.com/ .... I always think of TV as a classy enterprise, but the lipstick on the napkin with the condom really screams anything but... The facade is pretty well up and they seem to be working inside... It sits right next to a huge Urban Outfitters, in a cold steel/chrome structure, and I fear it will be more bright neon plastic tiki mugs with $14 frozen margaritas than properly mixed Tiki Puka Pukas... We shall see...

Did anyone notice that the iPhone says 4:20???

Hmmm

It is probably impossible for anything to show up in Vegas and remain pure. Hopefully no day-glo plastic mugs etc... But just can't see them doing that. To keep anything alive in Vegas they have to have a active night atmosphere to survive and bring in a crowd after everyone has had dinner. At least is will be convenient to get to. I was sad when Taboo Cove closed, but you needed a GPS and a map to get to it. Unfortunately only Bosko had the vision. When I visited they were playing steel drum reggae music and the drinks were generic....Back to Vic's----- Maybe it will also initiate a new group of people who will appreciate the food and great drinks and they will visit other locations. They mention a number of different floors. Maybe one will be more of the old-school Vic's type of atmosphere.. I will remain optimistic for now. If nothing else I know were I'll be able to get a Somoan Fogcutter to drown my sorrows at losing at the blackjack table.

"Party With Vic: Women want to be with him and men want to BE him"

Are you fucking kidding me?

Yeah, that's pretty bad.....

I wouldn't have my hopes set too high for any old-school Vic's atmosphere. Witness Destin. When was the last time a Vic's opened with that old-school atmosphere? Atlanta. In what, '76? The Dallas opening doesn't really count because it was already built. Hate to sound negative, but the most I'm hoping for is that Atlanta, Dallas and Emeryville stay open and true.

Some of you people slay me.
OK, we got scathing reviews of beverage service and predictions of failure even before the TV opens. Of course it's bound to fail, after all it's right next door to an Urban Outfitters and just up the street from the dreaded - (gasp, gasp, choke!!) Vegas Margaritaville. TC's should only be in some exotic and tropical cities - like say Emeryville, Ca.
As a part time Las Vegas resident I'm happy to see it coming here and I pity you folks that don't enjoy Vegas. Maybe you're just Tiki Snobs???
(Did you ever wonder if the Buffett websites bash the Tiki Culture and remind posters that Buttett is NOT about Mia Tias?)
(Did you also wonder why the spell-checker here flags the word "tiki"?)

On 2007-08-18 11:12, ThreeTikis wrote:

(Did you ever wonder if the Buffett websites bash the Tiki Culture and remind posters that Buttett is NOT about Mia Tias?)
(Did you also wonder why the spell-checker here flags the word "tiki"?)

No, but I do wonder if it didn't flag "Buttett" and "Mia Tias"

VEGAS BABY!!

I guess I have been one of those useless mainstream rabble that has been frequenting Vegas for the past twenty years and loving it. I photograph and attend conventions there all the time and I freakin love it!

I won't care if TV Vegas is not like the other traditional old school TV's. I mean, It's Vegas so they have to razzmataz it a bit. Hopefully it will be unique in its own Vegas way. I'm just glad it's going to be there.
It is possible to love Vegas AND Tiki AND Elvis, German beer, Grits, Sushi, Cats, Old Dental Tools AND a great many other things all at the same time. If anyone out there knows when the opening is and if it's possible to get in for it I would fly out in a heartbeat.

I am with you Bohemiann - I am a big fan of vegas and a big fan of the classic polyneisian restaurants and things mid-century. Unfortunately they can not all be in the same place at the same time and people have to accept vegas for what it is today versus 50 years ago.

Birdgirl and I were in vegas in July and saw the TV sign and totally cringed at the "ultra lounge" reference. However, they will have an outside patio that may suit me just fine. Bottom line, all we can really hope for is well made food and (especially) drinks.

I don't care how authentic/classic the decor or whatever is (which of course would please us), if they do a bad job with the food and drinks, the place is dead. Alternatively, regardless of how obnoxious or "sexy" the place is (seriously, a condom?) many of us have expressed willingness to put up with a lot of crap if a place knows how to mix a beverage.

I am just as scared as everyone else that the place will suck, but let's not condemn the place before the first mai tai is poured....

By the way, I am going to have one of these buttons installed in my house and never leave home again.

One of the investors was originally the same company involved in the Dallas location. They ended up pulling out of the deal but someone I know sent me a copy of the proposal for the Vegas location. According to him, it's going to be more like Scottsdale. I pulled this bit out the proposal:

**Trader Vic’s famed menu will return with a classic fusion of Polynesian fare. The lounge will feature the classic Trader Vic’s drink menu as well as a respectable wine list. The décor will follow the classic tropical South Seas Trader Vic’s look and feel, but with the high style of a Las Vegas experience.

The Trader Vic’s dining area is “South Pacific” retro with most of the original décor intact, and will be renovated to modernize and update the space and upgrade operations. The goal is to maintain the nostalgic themes that Trader Vic’s is known for while interjecting a sleek and modern appeal.**

Also included were these images showing aerial views as well as views from Trader Vic's and the Bellagio:

If it is like the Scottsdale location, that isn't a bad thing. Sure, it doesn't have the "old school" feel, but it really is a pretty nice restaurant. Hey, it will likely have more "tiki" in it than the pool side Beverly Hilton bar :D I know I'll be planing on visiting next time I'm in Vegas.

Chris

Scottsdale was Sweet and done in a sleek modern style that I can drink with just fine.



Atmosphere vs Drinks, Lets face it, the drinks will be as good as the bartender and the bartender will be as good as the management. You hire a good bartender and he or she...."gets it" and hopefully has enough aptitude and/or interest in educating themselves in a bit of "lore" you got it made. In a place like Vegas a top notch bartender at a TV could make a name for themselves. I believe the Bartender from TV in Chicago has done pretty well.
For me, the drinks are as important as the Atmosphere but the place also has to have some personality to interact with. Most of the time I am by myself when I am travailing and enjoy the interaction at the bar. If the bartender is clueless or a doorknob that really detracts from the place. I have been to some really nice Tiki Bars and had a lousy or boring time because of the apathetic staff.

By the way, if the Wahine would let me I would apply for the position and move there myself!

[ Edited by: Bohemiann 2007-08-19 13:44 ]

"Are there any Tiki bars in Vegas?"? So many times newbies ask the members of TIki Central before they discover the "Search" function. And for years the answer has essentially been "no"-no real tiki "bars" but scattered tiki here and there in restaurants/bars. So imagine my shock to see The Las Vegas Weekly mention two "tiki bars" in their Agust 23-29, 2007 edition. One is the existing Tahiti Joes (page 80)and the other is the upcoming Vic's(page 76). Yes, I new about them both, but it was still cool to see a double tiki mention!! I know it won't be a mirror image of any of the classic Vic's locations, but it has great visibility and supposedly great access (two things that Taboo Cove didn't have -by the way, Taboo Cove was doomed-bad location, hard to find, poor-or no-promotion/advertising and it opened weeks before 9/11-the event that directly and indirectly caused the closure of MANY businesses).
Vic's will most likely be a surprise or even a bit of a shock to us old style Tiki bar lovers, but I hope I will still like enough about it for me to return multiple times.

Vics- http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/content/nc/nightlife/single-story/article/traders-spaces/

Trader's spaces

August 23, 2007
by Justin Jimenez

Las Vegas Weekly gets an exclusive look at the new Trader Vic's in Miracle Mile

Get ready for mai tais, lots of them. This isn’t the froufrou white Slurpee you are used to, either—this is the original. Using seasoned rum with fresh lime, Dutch Orange Curacao, rock-candy syrup and a dollop of French Orgeat, this is a portable island party. The legacy of Victor J. Bergeron Trader is coming to Las Vegas and is bringing all the tiki goodness you can handle with it. No matter if you have been to any of the 30-plus restaurants in 22 cities across the world, you have never been to a Trader Vic’s like the one opening up in the Miracle Mile on September 21.

We’ll get to the ultralounge in a minute, but first, the thing that is going to make Vic’s a signature Strip staple: the patio. Overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard, 7 feet above the sidewalk, it’s a gem destined to become a top open-air imbibing playground. Complete with palms, thatch and a sweeping shingled roof, it will also have its own bar.

“This is going to be a better Margaritaville, a different Mon Ami Gabi and nothing like Pure,” said Bill Tremper of Trader Vic’s, of his neighboring patios. “What we are creating here will be the touchstone of the 60-year-old brand. It is going to be amazing.”

The lanai (meaning patio) has a great view of the Bellagio fountains across the street and easy access from foot traffic along the street.

Just inside is the restaurant, which has the least theming of any of the eateries of the brand but will still serve the same Euro-Asian-Polynesian fare as the rest of the franchise. The 120-seat room will move to urban beats backed by a Polynesian drum. A private table located at the switchback of a towering staircase can be replaced by a DJ if the night calls for it.

“This is definitely more contemporary than other Trader Vic’ses,” Tremper said as we navigated through the finishing touches of the construction that began in January.

“The idea is to bring in the Vegas market with a more party-like atmosphere while still being accessible to everyone. Then maybe people will be inspired to revisit the Trader Vic’s back home you haven’t been to in a while.”

Still, one concept that will remain true is the “tikiphiles,” a cult-like band of purists, holding conferences and festivals and get-togethers with like-minded island purists. Trademark Trader Vic’s design elements will be stashed throughout the complex.

The stairs wind further up to the most intriguing element of the $13.5 million three-in-one venue: the Tiki Club ultralounge. About five stories up, the view rivals the Eiffel Tower restaurant and uses floor-to-ceiling windows to make that point. The furniture will be movable, with plush couches replacing customary stationary booths.

This will allow for more freedom when it comes to adjusting to the demands of the night. Ideally, on the busiest evenings, the dining room can transform into part of the lounge experience, spilling onto the patio to mix with the passersby. If things are slow, the lounge crew stays upstairs for afterhours. There will be a separate DJ booth in the lounge, although the residents have yet to be named. The bottle price seems to be capitalizing on the backlash against inflated prices, hovering around a very reasonable $150. Talks are already in the works for industry-appreciation nights as well.

Doc Wiener, CEO and managing partner of DW Enterprises, who holds the lease to the space and will be running Trader Vic’s, has ties with Pure Management Group, going all the way back to the opening of Coyote Ugly at New York-New York in 2001. He has had the lease on this prime real estate for the past two years but opted to wait on the Trader Vic’s concept until the transition to Planet Hollywood was complete. The official grand opening of Miracle Mile is exactly one week after the opening of Trader Vic’s.

With the opening of the Cosmopolitan resort across the street slated for 2009, Weiner looks to continue to increase his standing in the Vegas service industry, already in talks for two more restaurant venues as well as a nightlife outlet, and even the possibility of a pool club.

One important element at Trader Vic’s that can’t be left out is the Trader Vixens. While there is no word on coconut bikinis, these gals will convince even the manliest of us to buy a drink with an umbrella.

Justin Jimenez firmly believes we should draft beer, not people. And he always sees better through the bottom of an empty glass. The freelance nightlife writer for Las Vegas Weekly, he can be reached at [email protected]."

Tahiti Joes- http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/content/nc/news/single-story/article/authentic-hokum/

September 21st! Vegas Baby! My birthday is on the 29th so....
Happy Birthday to me, I'm going to Vegas!

"Cult-like" Eh? Someone ask the reverend when the next comet is due.

[ Edited by: Bohemiann 2007-08-24 06:45 ]