Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/81170
PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA SAHN (HERMÈS); ERIK KABIK (WAITS); BARBARA KRAFT (ATRIUM) experiences throughout Encore. BY LAURIE BROOKINS Jesse Waits, managing partner of XS and Tryst, highlights a trio of favorite DISCOVERIES Y ou can't help but notice Jesse Waits: He's the guy everyone wants to know. Waits is the managing partner of Tryst at Wynn and XS at Encore, a title he takes quite seriously, working the door with his staff on a Saturday night, ensuring that all runs smoothly and the line of club-goers flows quickly—and if you're a returning guest, there's a good chance he'll greet you by name, with a solid handshake for the guys, a kiss on the cheek for the ladies. For seven years he's been key to XS and Tryst being two of the most successful clubs in Las Vegas; and with tailored suits as his uniform, he's a reason the clubs rank among the city's most stylish. With that in mind, Waits is a fitting guide to point out a few of Encore's most elegant elements. 1. SEATED LADY AT BOTERO "When Steve [Wynn] first spoke about what he wanted Botero to be, the buzzwords surrounding the restau- rant were sexy, cool, and hip, and Steve already knew this one statue was going to be the centerpiece of that idea. I remember doing sound checks with Steve early on, and I thought the flow, the feng shui, everything about it was just perfect. And then Seated Lady arrived and just took everything to another level. It's not just that she's so beautiful, and Botero's work with her curves is so unique, but also that this big, sexy piece really plays with scale and dominates the room. It's really powerful. I had never been much of an art person before, but this experience has inspired me. And now that we've made the restau- rant even more nightclub-centric, turning it into more of a supper-club vibe, she's only that much more perfect for the space. I think we have the sexiest restaurant in the resort." 2. SCENTS BY HERMÈS "I love Hermès colognes; they're actually the only scents I wear, and there are three I use interchangeably. Terre d'Hermès is for work; that's the one I wear most, and I love it because I'm really into earthy scents. For my day off, I might wear Un Jardin sur le Nil, which is a little softer. And then for something that feels really dressed up, Hermès does a cologne that feels very sophisticated, Un Jardin en Méditerranée, though I really do save that for special occasions. I really do like fashion, and Hermès is a favorite brand of mine. Gucci and Louis Vuitton are favorites, but Hermès seems more special to me because it's not a brand you see all the time. When I see someone carrying an Hermès bag, it catches my eye; it seems like a really sophis- ticated, thoughtful decision. And having the boutique opposite XS is a great synergy—a night- club and a store that are both upscale, cool, and hip destinations. Though I get requests all the time about whether I can help some- one get something that's not easily available at Hermès, the answer is while I'd love to, I don't have the hookup. If I did, I promise I'd be using it for myself." 46 WYNN 3. ENCORE'S ATRIUMS "From the moment they started building Encore, I was drawn to how much Steve wanted natural light to be a part of that casino. I was raised in the outdoors—in the mountains of California and also in Hawaii—so I really connect to it. That might sound funny; I run nightclubs, and my day starts and ends in the dark, so I'm basically a vampire. But what Steve wanted to create with natural light in the Encore casino was so unique and exceptional. I remember during Encore's construction; you couldn't really tell what the final result was going to be, because all the glass in the ceil- ing was covered in paper. Then one day all the paper was taken off, and the space just flooded with natural light. And when you fold in the care and attention to the trees and hor- ticulture, it's hard to not be taken by it. Casinos tend to be very dim places, but not here. You feel an energy from that sense of openness and light, and it's exciting. It makes you happy."