Subscribe to RSSA Day in the Life, Las Vegas from the inside
It’s wheels-up on a weekday morning for Jason DeRouchie as he heads to Las Vegas for a few days of escape. In less time than it takes an iPod battery to run down, he’s on the ground and ready to tackle the City That Never Sleeps.
At 32, DeRouchie is a seasoned Vegas visitor. He isn’t a tourist taking in the Chamber of Commerce sights, nor is he sitting with the Blue Hairs feeding the bottomless bandits. In the 10 years he’s been going to Vegas five or six times a year he’s carved himself a niche among the fast and furious Las Vegas set.
Bacardi Jason, as his close friends know him, doesn’t focus much on material things in life. He likes to travel. That’s how he spends his time and money away from being president and owner of his own marketing company, Crosshair Media, in Ballwin, Mo., just outside of St. Louis.
“Nobody can take away your experiences, your memories,” DeRouchie says.
He takes as many as 10 vacations a year, mostly to Las Vegas and islands of the Caribbean. His favorite is Grand Cayman.
“That’s how I spend my money. My thing is traveling,” he explained.
It all begins After pulling his luggage from the clanking carousel, DeRouchie heads to the hotel of choice for that particular trip. He suggests MGM Grand in the summertime because of the pool area; Wynn Las Vegas and The Venetian other times of the year because of their great rooms and service. Visitors on a tight budget might consider Harrahs’s or New York New York because of their inexpensive rooms and great locations.
The itinerary is dictated by the company he keeps. If it’s a guy’s weekend, clubbing dominates the agenda. If it’s more laid back, then gambling is the objective. If he travels with a girlfriend, it’s dining and shows.
“I switch it up depending on who I’m with,” he explained. “There’s so much to do, something for everybody,” DeRouchie notes. “I’m with my girlfriend, it’s not the clubs so much as it is the restaurants, shows and sights.”
DeRouchie was introduced to Las Vegas when he was 21. His early exposure to Vegas was as a wholesaler for Bacardi Rum. The CEO of the liquor company was a family friend, and DeRouchie joined the company after dropping plans for law school.
“You can imagine how thrilled my family was when I told them I was quitting law school and going to work for a liquor company,” he laughed.
His travels with Bacardi brought him to the Lake of the Ozarks where he earned the ‘Bacardi’ Jason nickname and garnered him a lot of friends. Though he’s his own boss now with Crosshair Media, he remains close to his Lake friends and often travels with them to Las Vegas.
He did get a degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis, and the education has obviously served him well as he’s negotiated is way into business and many Las Vegas clubs.
A day in the life. Pool parties, clubbing, gambling, dining, shows and kicking back are high on DeRouchie’s list of activities in Vegas.
By mid-afternoon on the day of arrival, DeRouchie probably has a place secured at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Rehab poolside party. The promo piece claims that the once-intimate poolside party has grown into a destination with weekend revelers in the thousands. DeRouchie estimates between 5,000 and 6,000 people will be struttin their stuff at the Hard Rock. Rock Star Lemonades, world famous DJs, the beautiful, the tattooed, the rich, the famous, large and small everyone gets down at Rehab.
Another favorite is Wet Republic at the MGM Grand. Again according to Internet hype, Wet Republic evokes a sensuous South Beach ambiance with a seductively modern vibe. Wet Republic features two spectacular saltwater pools, eight individual pools and spas, exclusive VIP Bungalows, hip party cabanas, spacious daybeds and oversized deluxe chaise lounges.
After a thorough indoctrination into the day at poolside, DeRouchie and company might head to a favorite casino for a ‘bit of gambling.’ That usually involves several hands of Blackjack, or hanging out in a sports bar for some serious sports booking. Then off to one of thousands of restaurants for dinner and time to rekindle the energy for what lies ahead after midnight.
“Restaurant food is amazing,” DeRouchie commented. “Every famous chef in the world has a restaurant in Las Vegas. Restaurants have been taken to a whole new level.”
Every hotel and casino has five or six restaurants. Among DeRouchie’s favorites is N9NE Steak House at The Palms Hotel and Casino.
For sushi, try Nobu at the Hard Rock Hotell for lunch, Carneie Deli at the Mirage or Diablo’s Cantina at the Monte Carlo (this place was opened by the famous nightclub owners, The Light Group); for seafood, SeaBlue, Michael Mina’s restaurant at MGM Grandl for steak, N9NE at the Palms or Delmonico’s (Emeril Lagasse’s place) at the Venetian.
For the buffet lovers, check out The Bellagio or Rio.
It’s considered uncool to show up at a club in Las Vegas before midnight. Such a gauche move is sure to separate the shakers from the wannabees. Club hopefuls stand in line for hours hoping to gain admittance to places like Body English at Hard Rock Hotel, Tao at The Venetian, Jet at The Mirage, Pure at Cesar’s palace and Clubs XS at Encore Las Vegas.
DeRouchie, with friends on the inside from his days with Bacardi, knows the tricks to gain entrance. Don’t show up in large groups, especially a group of guys. The guy at the door holds the key to getting inside a club. Don’t wear sandals or tennis shoes, dress to impress (though nice blue jeans are okay), be prepared to drop a pair of $20 bills with the doorman.
“The trick is to know somebody on the inside, or know the doorman. The key also is to have some women with you, in couples, but only a few couples. They don’t like large groups. It pays to pay off the door guy,” DeRouchie said.
It’s also a good idea to order table service. Even at $400-$500 for a bottle of Grey Goose (or favorite liquor), it’s usually cheaper in the long run since it costs $10, $12, $14 a drink.
“Getting reservations for a table service, or bottle service, can help get you in the door, but there are no guarantees,” DeRouchie explained. “It can help you bypass the long line since there’s a separate line for table service.”
The level of service and security at clubs “is amazing,” he explained. Celebrities feel secure from gawkers, Paparazzi and confrontations in many of the clubs.
The nightclub scene usually lasts until near dawn since “there’s no closing time in the city that never sleeps,” DeRouchie noted.
To cap off the day (or night), he and his entourage usually head for Spearmint Rhino, a gentleman’s club that is the industry hangout.
“It’s an after-hours bar for people who are in the business of entertaining,” he explained. “It’s for people who are in the shows, who work the earlier hours. I know a lot of people in the (beverage) industry who I’ve done business with who hang out there.”
Spearmint Rhino is as much for social networking as it is for the female entertainment, DeRouchie said.
If nightclubs and gentlemen’s clubs aren’t of interest, then consider taking in some of the shows.
DeRouchie’s caveat to seeing a quality show is to buy tickets in advance, often available at a significant discount before the event. Some shows are sold out weeks or months in advance so planning ahead is important. There are many ticket outlets along The Strip.
His personal favorites include:
Cirque du Soleil’s Show at The Balagio
Jersey Boys at the Palazzo
Blue Man Group at The Venetian
There are also a variety of notable, big-name entertainers performing at many locations.
Vegas misnomer
Las Vegas has emerged as a playground not only for the rich and famous for also for families.
“It’s an appealing city, the city that never sleeps,” DeRouchie said. “There’s a misconception about Las Vegas as only being a place to gamble. That isn’t true any more. It has on-going appeal since there’s so much to do. Vegas is more than just The Strip.
There’s hiking, golfing, shopping, museums, galleries, tours, attractions for kids, helicopter tours, Grand Canyon trips, water fountains and, of course, people watching.
No matter your intent, Las Vegas is a must for the Bucket List.
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