Saving Secret! Hot New Gay/Alternative Nightclub Currently For Sale in Las Vegas
When Secret Nightclub & Cabaret owner Paul Anderson surveyed the current entertainment options being offered last spring in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, he found an incredible void in the equation. A spicy and vibrant gay/alternative nightclub that caters to every age and every lifestyle.
Formerly known as the Velvet Lion Gentlemen’s Club, Anderson has put Secret Nightclub & Cabaret up for sale. Although he has received many offers from investors looking to restore the gentlemen’s club aspect of the venue, Anderson truly believes in the gay nightclub concept, to the point where he would prefer selling it to a buyer with that concept in mind.
“From the word ‘go’ we’ve heard nothing but positive things about our venue and Secret concept” said Anderson. “We would hate to see this city stripped of something that means so much too so many great people in this city and across the globe.”
According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, over 37 million people flocked to Sin City in 2010 to get their entertainment fix—an increase of close to 3% from 2009. With a growing economy that is slowly breaking free from the bailout hangover of a few years back, Las Vegas is once again enjoying the fruits of its leisurely labor.
GLTBQ.com states that the Census 2000 saw almost a quadruple growth in same sex partnership households since 1990 and that California, Oregon and Washington (all west coast) were three of the top five occupied states. CNN’s exit poll during the 2008 election estimated 4% of the voting public (over 5 million men and women) were gay or lesbian. With these facts comes the increased demand for nightclubs and establishments in entertainment-rich cities such as Las Vegas that cater to the gay and lesbian consumer.
Based on the above figures, approximately 1.5 million gay and lesbian vacationers gathered under the bright lights of Las Vegas in 2010 looking for a venue to call their own. This doesn’t include the tens of thousands that currently call Las Vegas their home. It’s this information that makes the need for a top-flight nightclub that every type of clientele can call their own. Anderson saw the opportunity and jumped in.
Hence, August 2010 saw the opening of Secret Nightclub & Cabaret. Simply put, Secret Nightclub & Cabaret is a 15,000 square foot cutting edge venue that marries the gay/lesbian lifestyle with the adult fantasy world to create a playground unlike any other in Las Vegas. A cabaret in the true sense, Secret’s focus is on entertainment on all levels of one’s imagination. The visual bliss that is witnessed at Secret each and every night derives from stage performances involving multiple dancers playing out one’s most erotic fantasies.
In addition to its many gay and lesbian clientele, roughly another 20% of Secret’s clientele were heterosexual females and males that simply liked coming to a comfortable, classy and service oriented venue to have a great time.
“We have a product that has taken over the Las Vegas industry by storm and identified an immediate need in such an entertainment-rich city,” said Louis Paone, Vice President. “We don’t serve based on sexual orientation, and that’s what makes our venue so popular.”
Besides its interior aesthetics and service-oriented staff, what makes Secret Nightclub & Cabaret unique is that it’s the only gay/alternative club in Las Vegas that actually owns a cabaret license.
“Our cabaret license allows our guests to have one-on-one dialogue along with private and intimate entertainment with our go-go dancers and entertainers, similar to the environment you would get in a gentlemen’s club,” said Anderson. “The only difference is that our goal is to provide a classy and comfortable experience for our guest, as well as our staff.”
Another added revenue stream is the fact that Secret Nightclub & Cabaret has a grandfathered license that allows the installation of 15 gaming slot machines that can be placed anywhere within the two bars located on premise.
“That’s 15 gaming machines that can easily add a half-million a year to your bottom line” said Anderson.
With all of the unique attributes and enormous momentum that Secret has gained over the last five months, why is the club for sale?
“Anytime you open a brand new venue you need start-up capital and time” said Anderson. “Especially in the gay market, you need to earn the trust of the consumer. We have done that, so the hard part is out of the way.” He added, “Simply put, we have run out of resources, and are looking for someone to take the wheel of a product that we feel is a very short time away from tasting the success that we have worked so hard to achieve.”
Anderson concluded, “We’ve recently negotiated down our lease, and the owner of the property is willing to extend the term. Being the only gay/alternative club in Las Vegas with the addition of gaming and a cabaret license, we know we have the right recipe for an extremely successful gay venue in Las Vegas. It’s our goal to allow it to thrive beyond my tenure as owner.”
Added Paone, “Someone just needs to come in and ice the cake that has already left our consumer’s mouth watering.”
For investment opportunities or inquires about Secret Nightclub & Cabaret, Contact: INFO(at)SECRETLV(dot)NET