Virgin Las Vegas has changes in store for 2025, President Cliff Atkinson says. By Ryan Slattery
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas’ original debut was pandemic-delayed. The resort opened somewhat quietly in March 2021, but over the past couple of years has built a loyal local following. Last year’s Formula One race thrust the property into the spotlight, with many visitors rediscovering the property. Cliff Atkinson, president of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, called it a “re-coming out party.”
Today, the resort is full speed ahead planning for this year’s race and to host the AVN Awards in January. It will also be the partner hotel for the Electric Daisy Carnival in May. The resort is planning some major changes for its now empty nightclub-theater and the return of the famous Center Bar. We spoke with Atkinson in September.
With 33 years in hospitality, you’ve had a lot of hotel experience, mainly at Mandarin Oriental and MGM Resorts International, plus a stint as President of Luxor Hotel & Casino. Now, you’re off-Strip at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and have been here for over a year now. What attracted you to the property?
Half my career was with one company, Mandarin Oriental. I got to do a lot there. I fell in love with the business and wanted to stay here in Vegas and this opportunity at Virgin Hotels opened up. It’s a little bit boutique. It’s a little bit, I don’t use the word ‘luxury’ because that’s not really what we are, but we have some great villas and we have butler service, and many hidden gems within the property. It’s a lifestyle. It’s gaming. It’s food and beverage, it’s entertainment. There’s an intangible vibe when you put it all together.
Virgin has hidden gems like the one we’re sitting in now. Tell us about the Shag Room.
It’s such a cool space. The Shag Room is basically a speakeasy for live music. There’s no cover charge and you can see incredible live music, some really great bands as well as new local talent. Perfect for anyone looking for fun and some excitement, a bit of old Vegas.
Being off-Strip can have its challenges. How do you position Virgin Hotels to guests or the market in general?
I’m really bullish about our location. For a couple of reasons. Traffic in town has never been crazier. Locals and visitors are getting to know how close we are to the Strip. It’s under five minutes from our VIP entrance here to the VIP entrance of Sphere. So, five minutes from the Sphere, and the Formula One Paddock is right next door. And at the end of the day, we’re also still the closest, most exciting casino environment to the airport.
I’m also seeing that your station for the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop is being built right now. When will that be complete?
The tunnel’s built. We’re building our station now. By the time we’re sitting here next year, it should be open. You’ll be able to get from our property into an underground Tesla and over to the Convention Center. We’ve been growing group business here. We have doubled our group room nights this year. Five minutes from the Convention Center is a game changer for us.
How has your partnership with Hilton changed?
It’s evolved in a good way for both parties. Hilton was managing the property but we self-manage now. We are a franchise. So, we still get all the benefits of marketing to 100 million-plus Hilton Honors members. Our relationship with Hilton has never been better.
When it comes to the rooms and suites, are any renovations planned?
The rooms were all refurbished recently. We have 80-plus suites — some four-bedroom suites — that compete with anything in Vegas. They’re amazing. Where we are spending our time is changing retail, changing food and beverage, and also our gaming-floor program. That’s where we will be taking things the next 18 to 24 months.
What demographic is Virgin Hotels marketing to?
We welcome everybody but our sweet spot is really the millennials that are looking for something a little bit different. We want our customers to have fun. That’s why we’re doing things like the Wu-Tang Clan residency or all the entertainment that we have coming for NFR or Formula One. And we have the Shag Room and our burlesque show “Lady Luck.” There are a lot of reasons to come.
There are a lot of construction walls up as well. What’s on the way?
We are looking at launching new, Virgin-branded retail in some of these spaces, adding a new gaming bar — we just don’t have enough bar top gaming units and bars to hang out — and we’re creating more meeting space.
And what’s happening with the former Magic Mike Theater space?
We’ve got some plans. I really like that theater and we’re very close to selecting partners. There’s a lot of interest in that space.
Will it be an entertainment venue or nightclub?
Probably a blend of both. Not a traditional nightclub. We’re not going to compete with that. We want to give people something different and new to Vegas. The way we do things is a little bit smaller but with fun in mind.
Let’s talk about Nobu. It’s been here since the Hard Rock days. What makes this location so iconic?
We know there are a few Nobus in town and there are Nobu restaurants all over the world but we have the original, the first Nobu outside in New York. You couple that with free parking and not being on Strip, it’s pretty easy to come in and get a wonderful dinner.
Any plans for the former Todd English restaurant space?
We’re very close to making an announcement on that space as well. It took a while for us to look and see what we have and what we’re missing to decide on what’s next.
You’re also taking over casino operations. How will that change the guest experience in terms of gambling and rewards?
Mohegan Sun is still here but eventually the casino will be integrated with the entire resort. We’re really excited about the opportunity. There will be a new loyalty program launched in 2025. We’ve seen everything in the market from what the big guys do to the Rio and Palms programs. We believe we can create something different that provides even more value for the customer that will be very competitive in Las Vegas.
Does that mean there will be changes to the sports book as well?
We are changing what the sports book is, including our partner there. We’re working on that right now. We have some great ideas and potential partners. Again, we’re looking to do something a little bit different. Some next-level fun with food and beverage,
and some other entertainment to really make it an experience.
Virgin Las Vegas is located right next to the Formula One Paddock. How was that experience for you last year for the first F1 race?
It was a home run for us because we are so close and outside the track as well, so access to the property is easy. Super Bowl was great for us but F1 was five times that. We had DJs starting some days at eight in the morning. We had bands in here at lunchtime.
We wanted to activate the property because we knew it was going to be a rediscovery for some. People were eating at Nobu at three in the morning. If you’re coming to F1, our property has to be your pre- and post- just because it’s so easy to get to.
Have you seen a bump in visitors to the property as a result of F1?
We did see an increase in food and beverage revenue, and an increase in our gaming handle since F1, so it was a great opportunity for us to shine. F1 was our re-coming out party.
What are your plans for this year’s race?
We will have brand partnerships, live music, DJs and specials at all of our restaurants with extended hours because we saw the demands. Nobu and Kassie Beach House will open early, and stay open much later.
I’m hearing some talk we might see the return of the Center Bar — a Hard Rock institution back in the day. Any truth to that?
The nostalgia for that is strong. This property created that concept, as it also created the first daylife venue with Rehab back in the day. There are definitely plans, I can’t say exactly when, but I would love to be serving drinks at a Center Bar by the end of next year. We’re just getting warmed up to the changes around here and leaning into some things that people really liked. People had a great time there. Now there’s a whole generation that’s never experienced that, at least here. So creating that for them will be how we approach this.
For more information on Virgin Hotels Las Vegas visit: virginhotelslv.com.
Casino Life Magazine Team would like to thank Cliff Atkinson, for taking the time for this interview with us earlier this year.
***This exclusive feature interview was originally published in Casino Life Magazines November 2024 edition Issue 171***
