Diablo’s Cantina gets gold star of originality

A devilish twist to the nightlife scene commenced this past weekend, with Diablo’s Cantina jumping into the mix with a much-anticipated soft opening.

If this was any indication of what is to come at Diablo’s, the Light Group should have a nice addition to its stable.

What makes Diablo’s special is its uniqueness, giving patrons something completely different when it comes to venturing out to a local hot spot on any given evening. The 13,000-square-foot, multilevel entertainment complex is going to get “a lively, fiestalike atmosphere,” according to Alex Acuna, director of public relations for Light Group.

All you have to do is walk or drive by the establishment one time to see this isn’t your standard venue. Think about a combination of Fat Tuesday’s, Margaritaville and any typical nightclub and you have Diablo’s, which gets a gold star for originality and creative concept.

The official opening comes next month, so expect a lot of noise to be made right from the get-go. Anticipate some saucy, debauchery-filled events orchestrated by marketing/promotions director Wayne Crane, who did a whole lot with very little turning Mist lounge inside Treasure Island into a lively venue during his time running the show there.

OPM nightclub joins redesign trend — OPM nightclub will shut its doors Monday as it undergoes a multimillion-dollar redesign.

The popular hip-hop spot located inside The Forum Shops at Caesars will undergo a $5 million transformation, which includes a name change. OPM now will be known as Love & Money. The club will have a clothing line of high-end T-shirts, jeans and hats starting at more than $100 apiece.

The remodel, handled by Chemical Spaces, will bring a different look to the existing space. Giant black curtains, black chandeliers and oil paintings will highlight the new spot, giving it a fresh look.

“Picture it as if the Devil had a mansion as a bachelor pad in the 1960s,” said OPM partner Branden Powers.

“Love & Money” will have its soft opening October 5, with the grand opening party slated for the following weekend. Rumors floating around have the possibility of Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke hosting the opener.

Jeremy Pond covers the nightclub scene for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Vegas Confidential. His column appears Fridays in Neon and online at www.reviewjournal.com and www.normclarke.com. He can be reached at 383-0298 or via e-mail at jpond@reviewjournal.com.