After our spate of Reno rain continued last weekend, the opening of the Beach at Grand Sierra Resort was postponed. But it will now make its debut Friday, June 12, with a special performance by Shwayze (and his sidekick, Cisco Adler).
The Beach is a new incarnation of the Grand Sierra's pool as a weekend nightclub, and the bottom line is that things are pretty much as they were.
(Find other pool parties happening this summer)
For two previous summers, the poolside club was a Nikki Beach venue, but the partnership with that national brand has ended.
If you have a theory explaining why the Nikki Beach brand broke up with the casino (or vice-versa), great, but all the resort is willing to say is: "Grand Sierra has ended its partnership with Nikki Beach."
Regardless, things are going forward much as they were before, with the same team that managed Nikki Beach and Pearl.
EJ Luera, entertainment director (and DJ) for the Beach (and Nikki Beach and Pearl before it) describes Nikki Beach as a great brand, but "we were a bit limited on the entertainment and music formats." Now, he said, the club can experiment more with events and the entertainment they book.
Although there will always be DJs, with some bigger names in the mix, live performances will also play a role, though they're not read to announce anyone besides Shwayze.
Party smarter, not louder
Without the Pearl to offer an indoor place to go after the Beach closes, they're trying some new things to minimize the outside noise while keeping the club open later.
"We have installed a new sound system that surrounds the venue in hopes that we can spread the sound evenly in order to keep the overall volume down," Luera said. "If this works then closing times won't be an issue."
Hotel guests are of course welcome along with the local crowd the Beach hopes to attract, but the place probably isn't the majority of guests' cup of tea, so "our first goal is not to offend or disrupt the hotel guests," Luera said.
Down to business
So, the sandy beach vibe is still there, with pounding music, pro DJs and the occasional musical guest and celebrity sighting. But the color palette has been expanded to give things more pop (it's no longer white with white accents!), and VIPs get valet parking as a new bonus. Reservations with bottle service can be made by calling 1-800-648-5080.
On Fridays and Saturdays, the Beach is open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Dancing is the focus, with house DJs and live out-of-town acts. Cover will almost always be $20 unless otherwise noted.
Sutra Sundays follow the daytime pool party mold, shared this season by Edge’s Aqua Lounge. They’re lower key and made for relaxing poolside, with food at hand from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can build your own burger or dig into a New York-style hot dog, grilled chicken sandwich or garden salad. The 21-and-over party is from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. each Sunday with $10 cover.
Or, check out the place for free at Thursday's Salsa night. The Baila parties started at Pearl last fall, and though they recently were charging cover, with the summer’s move outside to the Beach, the dance soirees are once again free.
The pool is open to hotel guests other times from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with food), and locals can pay $10 to get in, or $50 for a monthlong pass.
This is part of making the pool a better amenity for guests while also bringing in local business. On Wednesdays, the pool even hosts a movie series (with swimming still permitted).
June entertainment at the Beach:
- June 12: Performance by Shwayze
- June 13: Guest DJ Ikon
- June 14: Guest DJ Ikon encore
- June 19: Afterparty for the Oakenfold show (no cover with Oakenfold ticket).
- June 20: Dual DJ show with EJ Luera and Discotech
- June 26: Performance by Stevie B
- June 27: Guest DJ Homicide (of Sugar Ray)
