In your Question of the Day on May 8 on how casino hosts are paid, you mentioned "club hosts” without any explanation. It’s a new term to my husband and me. What’s a club host?
A club host is similar to a casino host, in that they're steerers. Club hosts steer their customers to the nightclubs where they make commissions.
One big difference is that it's an easy job to get, compared to becoming a casino host. Casino hosts are intensely scrutinized to qualify for a gaming card, essentially a license to work at the casinos. And it's hard to pass the scrutiny, especially if you have a DUI or two and/or fail a drug test. Most club hosts, especially the independent contractors, aren't scrutinized. They don't need a gaming card. They don't get drug tested. In general, they don't have to deal with human-resources departments.
Some club hosts work for the clubs themselves. Others are independent operators with affiliations at the clubs. Still others work for host companies that charge a fee to get you on a guest list, usher you inside, and/or make sure you're taken care of.
You might see a club host out on the Strip approaching young people. "Hey, do you want to be on the VIP line at Surrender or XS tonight?" They hand out a little flyer that has a code on it. If it's used, the host gets a commission, say $20 a head.
Some indie club hosts don't live and work in Vegas. They could live just about anywhere, as long as they know how to move Internet traffic and get people to book club reservations on their websites. Some of them have probably never even been to Vegas, let alone inside the clubs they book. But they know how to sign up to be affiliates, get eyeballs on websites, and take credit card numbers.
It used to be that casino nightclubs were an afterthought. But now, the club scene has gotten so big, and generates so much revenue, that it's more like nightclubs with casinos attached than casinos with nightclubs on the periphery. Some of these clubs actually do more business than the casino itself. Some do more than the casino, hotel, and restaurants combined.
And don't forget, the casino can lose money anytime, while the clubs almost can't lose, as long as the bodies are inside, paying $15 for a drink that's $4 anywhere else and $500 for a bottle that costs $25 at Albertson's.
You can contact club hosts directly by googling a club and searching for its hosts; most of them know one another, so if one can't help you (it's not his club), once you make contact, he can turn you on to his counterpart at a club you're interested in.
A few of the bigger "hosted entrance" companies include JackColton.com (which has explanations of the scene and lists of hosts), LavishVegas.com (with typical charges of around $70 for men and $35 for women), and VIPNite.com.
Some tour companies, such as Nite Tours, will take you on pub crawls -- the $89 VIP Pub Crawl fee takes care of the cover charges and expedited entry into three top nightclubs, starting at 9:30 p.m. The Party Bus tour ($69) is good for entry to two nightclubs; the $39 Party Pass gets you into one club. Other tours include Ladies Night, Ultimate Bachelor Party, 5-day Pool Pass, and Wild Ride (bachelorette, divorce, and birthday parties).
As usual around here, whatever special treatment you want, you can buy.
