Andrew Sasson | |
|---|---|
 Sasson in 2014 | |
| Born | 1970 Surrey, England |
| Occupation(s) | Nightlife entrepreneur Real estate developer Investor |
Andrew Jacques Sasson (born 1970 in Walton-on-Thames, England) [1] [2] is a British-American entrepreneur, hotelier, and real estate developer. With Andy Masi, he is the co-founder of The Light Group, which owns several restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, [3] mainly in the New York City and Las Vegas areas. [4]
Sasson was born in 1970 and grew up in Surrey, which borders South London. At the age of 15, he began working at his family's restaurant in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. He learned about the hospitality industry – from food service to day-to-day operations – and spent his nights exploring Spain's nightclub scene. [5] He studied at Florida International University for a year, and then remained in Miami, working as a doorman at the nightclub Velvet and learning the behind-the-scenes business of that industry. [5]
Sasson moved to New York City in 1995, and opened his own nightclub, Jet Lounge, in SoHo. He then partnered with Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss to open Conscience Point in the Hamptons; [6] as well as Jet East, also in the Hamptons and Jet 19, on the Lower East Side. [5] [7] [8] [9] In 2000, he partnered with Chris Barish and Keith Barish to open Light, a midtown Manhattan after-work and late-night lounge and restaurant. [10] [11]
In 2001, Sasson moved to Las Vegas, where he and the Barishes opened the Las Vegas branch of Light at the Bellagio Hotel. [12] Light was the first upscale nightclub to open within a hotel, [5] and was one of the first nightclubs in Las Vegas to offer its clientele high-end bottle service. [13] [14] Following Light, Sasson and Barish opened Caramel lounge at the Bellagio, and Mist lounge at Treasure Island. [15] [16] [11]
With business partner, Andy Masi, Sasson founded The Light Group . [17] The Light Group entered into partnership with MGM Resorts International, [2] [5] [18] In 2004, the group opened the FIX Restaurant & Bar at the Bellagio. [19]
In 2005, The Light Group opened JET Nightclub and STACK Restaurant & Bar, both of which marked The Mirage as a leading venue; [20] in 2007, they added BARE, an exclusive European-style sun-bathing pool lounge. [21] [22] In 2006, Sasson became director and chief operating officer of India Hospitality Corp., an Indian hospitality and leisure company, and held the position through 2010. [17] [23]
At the Monte Carlo, The Light Group opened two restaurants: Diablo's Cantina in 2007, and BRAND Steakhouse & Lounge in 2008. [24] In 2008 at the Bellagio, The Light Group opened The Bank, a small exclusive nightclub, and Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Bar, featuring chef Akira Back. [25] [26] At The Mirage, The Light Group acquired the Beatles Revolution Lounge, created by Cirque du Soleil, in November 2008. [27] [28]
Also in 2008, Sasson sold a 50% stake in The Light Group to the Dubai firm Zabeel Investments. [29] The sale netted him nearly $100 million, and the additional income placed him at 784 on the Sunday Times Rich List of Britain's wealthiest people. [30] In 2009, The Light Group opened several nightclubs, restaurants, and lounges at Las Vegas's new CityCenter. [31]
In 2011, Sasson sold off a 90% interest in The Light Group to Morgans Hotel Group. [32] [33] He sat on the board of directors of Morgans [18] [23] until his resignation in 2013. [34] [35]
The Light Group closed JET Nightclub at The Mirage and re-opened it as 1OAK on New Year's Eve 2011. [36] [37] [38] In 2012 and 2013, the company opened five new venues at Mandalay Bay: KUMI Japanese Restaurant & Bar; the 24-hour restaurant Citizens Kitchen & Bar; dinner, cocktail, and nightlife destination Red Square; LIGHT Nightclub featuring Cirque du Soleil; and DAYLIGHT Beach Club. [39]
In 2012, the Light Group opened two venues at the Delano Hotel in Miami: Bianca, an Italian restaurant with a cuisine based on organic farm-to-table ingredients, [40] [41] [42] and FDR, a nightclub. [40] [43]
By 2014, The Light Group owned and operated 20 nightlife, daylife, and dining venues at the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Aria Resort & Casino, The Mirage, and the Monte Carlo, as well at as Miami's Delano Hotel. [44] In early 2015, Hakkasan acquired The Light Group, including Sasson's remaining 5% interest in the company. [45]
In 2004, Sasson ventured into real estate in Las Vegas, opening Panorama Towers, a luxury condo tower which helped pioneer the Las Vegas high-rise market. [23] The 300 units of its first tower sold out in eight weeks. [5] Panorama Towers expanded to over 900 units, [23] [46] and Sasson sold his share in the development at the peak of the Las Vegas real estate market. [47]
As of 2016 [update] , Sasson is an investor and board member at Independent Sports and Entertainment (ISE). [48] [49] The company, formerly Relativity Sports, is an integrated sports, media, entertainment and management company that represents athletes in the U.S. [48] [49] [50]
Regarding his role in transforming the culture of Las Vegas, the Financial Times in 2008 described Sasson as an innovator who "built a small but fast-growing empire that has played a role in changing the city's image and reputation". FT went on to say that he had been instrumental in changing the city into "a culinary and nightlife hotspot, attracting hordes of young, affluent people eager to eat, drink and party. Gambling remains popular but to many younger Sin City visitors it is now a secondary pursuit, overtaken in revenue terms by food, beverage and entertainment sales." [2]
In 2010, Sasson was listed as one of "Nightlife's Biggest Players", and cited as a highly successful empire-builder. [4] He has been noted for his attention to detail and service, and for his vision of focusing on a wealthy, youthful, fashionable clientele, including the new generation of Hollywood celebrities. [2] [5] [51] Sasson also pioneered the pricey amenity of high-end bottle service in Las Vegas – one feature of his typically high-end, luxury ventures. [13] [14]
Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a chain of theme bar-restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2007, Hard Rock Cafe International (USA), Inc. was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida and was headquartered in Orlando, Florida, until April 2018, when the corporate offices were relocated to Davie, Florida. As of July 2018, Hard Rock International has venues in 74 countries, including 172 bar or cafe-restaurants, 37 hotels, and 11 casinos.
MGM Resorts International is an American hospitality and entertainment company. It operates resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Macau, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Sanya, including the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and Park MGM.
Mirage Resorts was an American company that owned and operated hotel-casinos. It was acquired by MGM Grand, Inc. in 2000, forming MGM Mirage.
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about 4.2 mi (6.8 km) long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, but is often referred to simply as "Las Vegas".
Zouk is a Singaporean nightclub located in the Clarke Quay district. Opened in 1991, the brand has since expanded to various cities around Asia and North America. One of the country's most prominent nightclubs, it has won the Singapore Tourism Board's "Best Nightspot Experience" award 6 times, between 1996 and 2007. Zouk was ranked number 10 on DJ Magazine's list of Top 100 clubs in the world in 2006, 2007 and 2010. In 2017, Zouk Singapore earned its highest ranking yet at number 3, the top entry for clubs across Asia. In 2021, Zouk Singapore was ranked number 11 while Zouk KL was ranked 33 on the DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs list in the world.
Bellagio is a resort, luxury hotel, and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Blackstone Inc. and operated by MGM Resorts International. Bellagio was conceived by casino owner Steve Wynn, and was built on the former site of the Dunes hotel-casino. Wynn's company, Mirage Resorts, purchased the Dunes in 1992. Plans were announced in 1994 to replace it with Beau Rivage, a French-themed resort. In 1995, Wynn changed the project plans to instead theme it after the village of Bellagio, near Lake Como. The resort was designed by Jon Jerde. Construction began on November 1, 1995, with Marnell Corrao Associates as general contractor.
Park MGM, formerly Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, is a megaresort hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. It was developed by Mirage Resorts and Circus Circus Enterprises, both later acquired by MGM.
Mandalay Bay is a 43-story luxury resort and casino at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. It was developed by Circus Circus Enterprises and completed at a cost of $950 million. It opened on March 2, 1999, on the former site of the Hacienda hotel-casino. MGM acquired Mandalay Bay in 2005, and The Blackstone Group became a co-owner in 2020. Vici acquired MGM's ownership stake in 2022.
The Mirage is a defunct casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. The 65-acre property includes a 90,548 sq ft (8,412.2 m2) casino and 3,044 rooms.
Golden Nugget Hotels & Casinos is an American chain of luxury hotels and casinos. It currently operates six casino resorts in Nevada, Louisiana, New Jersey, Illinois, and Mississippi.
Delano Las Vegas is a 43-story 1,117-room luxury suite hotel. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. It is located within the Mandalay Bay complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It opened on December 17, 2003, as "THEhotel at Mandalay Bay".
Victor Drai is a Franco-American nightclub owner, entrepreneur and film producer. Drai rose to prominence in the 1980s, producing the movies The Woman in Red (1984) and Weekend at Bernie's (1989), before leaving the industry to open a string of high-profile restaurants and nightclubs.
Aria Resort and Casino is a luxury resort and casino, and the primary property at the CityCenter complex, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by The Blackstone Group and operated by MGM Resorts International.
Noah Tepperberg is an American businessman and co-founder of several New York City nightclubs and restaurants, including Marquee, Tao, Avenue and Lavo.
Michael "Mike" Fuller is an American DJ, nightlife visionary and nightclub executive.
Icrave is an innovation and design studio founded in 2002 by Canadian-born designer Lionel Ohayon. Conceived as a design and brand strategy company, the studio's projects were predominantly in nightlife sector, including lounges and clubs in Manhattan, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The studio's nightlife work has contributed to the gentrification and popularization of New York City's Meatpacking District.
Jamie Mulholland is the founder of Mulholland Leisure, a hospitality development company. Entertainment venues which he has created include Cain at the Cove Atlantis in the Bahamas, GoldBar lounge in downtown New York City and The Surf Lodge in Montauk, New York.
Sean Christie is the Chief Executive Officer of Carver Road Capital. Previously, Christie served as the President of Events and Nightlife for MGM Resorts International, as well as the Executive Vice President of Business Development for Wynn Resorts and the Chief Operating Officer and the Vice President of Operations at Wynn Las Vegas. Before that he served as the founder and owner of Las Vegas Nightlife Group and managing partner of Encore Las Vegas Beach Club, Surrender Night Club, and Andrea’s Restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Andy Masi is an American entrepreneur, real estate developer, and business executive. With Andrew Sasson, he co-founded The Light Group, which was sold to the Hakkasan Group in 2014. In 2015, he founded Clique Hospitality, another hospitality and entertainment management firm. The company operates numerous bars, clubs, and restaurants, most of which are located in hotels.
Marklen Kennedy is an American actor, producer, film industry executive and founder of In Your Face Productions.
The duo [Tepperberg and Strauss] opened their first club, Conscience Point, in the summer of 1999.
The producer-cum-Planet Hollywood founder is backing his son Chris in joining up with Andrew Sasson, the man behind downtown's Jet Lounge and East Hampton's Jet East, to open a chain of five restaurant-lounges throughout the city. The first, called Light ...
Mr. Barish and a partner, Andrew Sasson, have two other New York-style nightspots: Light at Bellagio and Mist at Treasure Island. (The partners also own Light in New York City and Jet East in the Hamptons.)