Dustin and Victor Drai celebrate the brand’s 25th anniversary at Drai’s Nightclub.
As Drai’s Las Vegas toasts its 25th anniversary, father-son team Victor and Dustin Drai sound off on how they built one of the Strip’s most iconic nightlife destinations.
It’s been 25 years since nightlife veteran Victor Drai opened Drai’s Las Vegas (draisgroup.com/las-vegas). Since its 1997 debut at Barbary Coast, now The Cromwell (caesars.com/cromwell), the Drai’s Nightclub, Beachclub and After Hours lounge have hosted myriad celebrities and musical superstars. Today, Victor’s son, Dustin Drai, mans the hot spot’s star-studded entertainment lineup and is credited with bringing the Strip its first full-length live concerts within a club setting. Here, the father-son duo reflect on the last two-plus decades.
Congratulations on your 25th anniversary. How does it feel to reach this significant milestone? VD: It feels like it was yesterday. It went by very fast. DD: It’s a remarkable milestone. When my dad first started the company, I don’t think he ever expected it to go 25 years and that I would eventually be joining him. It’s an amazing accomplishment, and hopefully we’ll be here for another 25 years.
What first inspired you to open Drai’s? VD: I opened Drai’s as a restaurant in Los Angeles and it was very successful; people all over the country wanted me to open new restaurants. I looked at New York but it was too far away. I would come to Las Vegas for big fights and it was a short flight from L.A. I realized there were no nice restaurants, other than Spago, but nothing in the hotels. This was before Bellagio, before The Venetian. I was determined to be on the Las Vegas Strip and found the location at The Cromwell, which back then was Barbary Coast. It was a natural choice for me. The restaurant was successful and we started a late-night party. Everything grew from there.
What has changed since Drai’s first opened? VD: Nightlife didn’t exist in Las Vegas when we started. People used to come to gamble and eventually came for the restaurants. In that way, Vegas has changed tremendously, especially in the past 15 years. When I opened Tryst and then XS at Wynn Las Vegas, both clubs took Vegas’ nightlife to another level. DD: Drai’s started out as a restaurant and then became an after-hours destination known for playing deep house music. Then, we slowly pivoted to a club that had two types of music, house and hip-hop. We expanded in 2014 with the addition of the nightclub on the rooftop, and hip-hop became more and more popular. As the identity of the rooftop became more of a live entertainment venue, the music choices and our customers that attended Drai’s After Hours changed as well. I think part of the success, and the reason it’s lasted 25 years, is that whether people come today or if they came 10 years ago, it still feels the same; Drai’s After Hours has always been in the basement of The Cromwell and is still lit with red lights in a very intimate atmosphere. The strength of the brand led to Drai’s Nightclub and Drai’s Beachclub, so we now offer nightlife experiences in the daytime, at night and late night.
How has working together as a family impacted the business? VD: It’s the best. I didn’t expect my son to work for me when he graduated from college. It happened very naturally, so that was the most beautiful thing. I’m really, really happy about it. DD: It’s extremely positive, and my dad and I are extremely close. He’s one of my best friends and a mentor. Our tight relationship and the way we work well together has brought a lot of success to the business. My dad is a nightlife legend, and I can’t imagine anyone better to learn from and to help me grow.
Big Sean entertains the daytime crowd at Drai’s Beachclub
Why do you believe that Drai’s has remained a Las Vegas staple? VD: We were the first. I’m always open to change and I never stay in what I do; I always look at what else we can do. I am always looking ahead of the game, which is just my nature, and I never look at the past. It is also more interesting to look ahead to the future, and I would get bored if I didn’t.
What do you see for the future of Drai’s? DD: I personally hope that one day we have Drai’s clubs all over the world. As far as Vegas goes, I’m just taking it year by year, day by day. That’s how my dad has always worked rather than having a five- or 10-year plan. I have learned that same approach—knowing that if we make tomorrow better than today, the growth will come.
Backed by dancers, Lil Baby turns up the energy at Drai’s Nightclub.
What do you hope your legacy is? VD: I already have my legacy. It’s my son, Dustin. DD: My biggest accomplishment will be to honor my dad’s legacy and continue to grow it. Hopefully, one day, I can be as big of a legend as he is.
Photography by: PHOTOS BY RADIS DENPHUTARAPHRECHAR
