Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but it was back on August 6 of this year that the Las Vegas Review-Journal first reported news that, as a result of Morgans Hotel Group's takover of THEhotel under the Delano brand, several new restaurants would be introduced property-wide in place of existing venues, including Red Square at Mandalay Bay.
For those readers unfamiliar with this venue, it's a vodka bar and restaurant famed for its ice bar, walk-in super-chilled Vodka Locker tasting room, and the popular "CaviHour" nightly happy hour deal, which originally consisted of one ounce of caviar (and all the fixin's) for every two Imperia Vodka drinks ($17 each) ordered. The price went up to four drinks in 2010, which definitely took the shine off this deal, although it's still a cool scene and the caviar's delicious.
Anyhow, word of Red Square's demise was followed on August 14 by rumors in the R-J that China Grill Management planned to close all three of its Mandalay Bay venues, including China Grill and Red White & Blue, eliminating 350 jobs.
The following day came a statement from Terry Zarikian, China Grill Management's director of product development, who said: "In connection with last week's announcement of the rebranding of THEhotel at Mandalay Bay to (The) Delano, Morgans Hotel Group, or its affiliates, has acquired the leases for China Grill, Red Square and Red, White and Blue. The restaurants will continue to be operated under those brands until November 18."
The "affiliate" alluded to is Las Vegas-based nightlife company The Light Group, which was purchased by Morgans last November, and the word is that at least two of the three shuttered venues, including Red Square, will be turned into new Light Group restaurants, one from Brian Massie, the former chef behind the recently-shuttered Union at Aria and who still oversees STACK at the Mirage and Brand at Monte Carlo, with another coming from Akira Back of Yellowtail at Bellagio. We're not sure who/what is intended yet for the third venue, and whether Back's new venture will take over the space formerly occupied by Red, White and Blue or that of China Grill.
On a potentially positive note, the Eater Vegas blog reports that employees at China Grill’s Delano restaurants in Miami Beach kept their jobs when The Light Group took over China Grill leases at that property, so perhaps there's an easy transition in the pipeline for those currently employed at the MBay restaurants, too.
