New Virgin president plots Center Bar return

Cliff Atkinson moves to the middle of the casino at Virgin Hotels. A giant dome looms above in this open space.

“You can still hear the echo!” Atkinson calls out once, but you hear him twice. “Remember when you sat at one side of the bar, and could hear the people all the way across, like they were sitting next to you.”

For anyone who remembers the days of the Hard Rock Hotel, this experience is the echo of the property’s golden era, site of the Center Bar. The signature hang was permanently closed in June 2015, after a momentous 20-year run (the late Robin Leach led the final toast). A renovation didn’t rekindle the excitement at Center Bar, which was finally pulled apart during the Virgin Hotel renovation.

But Atkinson, the new hotel president, wants to bring it back.

“When we talk about, everything being on the table, that’s one we’re heavily considering,” Atkinson says during a walk of the property. “You don’t want to go back in time, you want to look forward, but that is one thing people just knew, and they associated with our property. If you want to lean into a little nostalgia at this property, that’s a great way to do it.”

A few highlights of the chat with Atkinson, in just his second week after replacing Richard “Boz” Bosworth as hotel president:

F1 is crucial to the hotel’s branding effort: Virgin is the official sponsor of the East Harmon Zone at F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. This is the first two corners of the race, where Virgin hosts a seating platform, and offering room, ticket packages, a back-side view of the pits and live entertainment. “To me, that’s almost our re-coming out party into the market and into the world. People will come here to either park, eat or ride-share. They will be coming to our property.”

Wager on Virgin founder Richard Branson to attend that F1 party: “Without giving too much away, will Richard Branson be here for F1? We hope so,” Atkinson says. This is a component of a campaign to strengthen the Virgin image with the Vegas resort. “People who know Virgin know we’re the largest Virgin hotel in the world. We’re going to push that message, and Richard’s start of his musical journey with Virgin Records. That’s what people want to see, and I think reinforcing the Virgin brand is a great opportunity for us.”

There is a plan to bring a resident production show to 24 Oxford: Look for an adult revue. “We’re considering one, right now,” Atkinson says.

There is also a plan to showcase Las Vegas artists at 24 Oxford: Atkinson says, “There is a way to support the local entertainment community, the real local talent that we have, in a smaller venue. The decisions can be made right here, we can be nimble, and we can provide an avenue to showcase some of that talent.”

The hotel plans to reopen the former Body English/Magic Mike Live Theater space: “I think there’s a way to enhance that particular space, for something that actually isn’t in the market yet,” Atkinson says. “There are a lot of ideas to activate that space. I don’t want to overuse the term ‘immersive,’ but there are ways to program that club that I think are unique.” This would be the fourth opening of the original Body English venue (twice as the club, once as “Magic Mike Live’s” theater).

The Theater at Virgin Hotel will remain cornerstone to the hotel’s entertainment strategy: It’s an obvious point, for a place that reopened with performances by the Killers and Paul McCartney in 2009 (and hosted the Rolling Stones among dozens of superstars in the original club). Atkinson notes there are nine live-music platforms in Virgin — five for live music, four for DJs. “I just met with AEG (Presents), our partners in the theater, about ideas … We are looking at consistency and something that is on-brand, something the market hasn’t seen on a rotating basis. Entertainment is going to be one of the major ways we evolve this property.”

Activity in top-level venues “gets it going” at Virgin: “When you have the theater going, you have 300 people at 24 Oxford and maybe a thousand at the Magic Mike Theater, that’s what keeps the energy flowing,” Atkinson says. “That’s just one of the keys to unlock the potential here. It’s not one specific thing. It’s all those things working together to really unleash the power of the property.”

The resort’s demographic is diverse: “I think we have things here for the younger, and I mean the early 20s to people in my generation, and I’m pushing 5o,” Atkinson says. “And I think you can you can tell that story through programming, a great theater, but who can be in there? We can be diverse, from country to classic rock, new bands … my kids are teaching me about music all the times. But we are an upscale product with a lot of fun things, a lot of excitement the first Nobu outside of New York City is here, Kassi Beach House, which people love, is here … One Steakhouse is great, with JOD (Johnny O’Donnell), the well-known bartender, and that’s a place people want to be.”

Cool Hang Alert

A first: Tennis/pickleball in CHA. Stirling Club at Turnberry Place is where Tony Bennett helped establish a wonderful youth-tennis program with Marty Hennessy. Beginning Sunday, the club is now offering Bobby Blair Tennis Adventures for players of all ages and skill levels. Stirling Club is home to clay courts, and also offers a pickleball experience. This is part of the club’s fertile entertainment/recreation fortress. Go to thestirlingclub.com for intel.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.