Sean Christie
Sean Christie (born April 21, 1974) is the Executive Vice President of Business Development for Wynn Resorts. [1] Previously, Christie served as the Chief Operating Officer [2] as well as the Vice President of Operations at Wynn and Encore and before that he served as the founder and owner of Las Vegas Nightlife Group and managing partner of Encore Las Vegas Beach Club, Surrender Night Club, and Andrea’s Restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas.[3]
Personal life
Christie was born in Boston, MA, and began helping at the family restaurant in Boston at age seven.[4] He attended Northeastern University and currently resides in Las Vegas, NV with his daughter.[5] He regularly donates time and capital to Keep Memory Alive, supporting the Cleveland Clinic, a non-profit academic medical center.[5]
Christie cites his parents as his greatest influence.[6]
Career
Boston years
Sean Christie began his career in nightlife and hospitality in 1993 working for the Lyons Group in Boston. There he managed and promoted Karma Club, Bill’s Bar and Lounge, and Avalon.[4]
Las Vegas entrepreneur
In 2000, Christie relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, to assist in the opening and management of The House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.[7] From 2001 to 2006, he also worked as managing partner of The Light Group, a hospitality development and management company with Las Vegas entertainment venues Jet and Light, lounges Mist and Caramel, and restaurants Stack and Fix.[8]
In 2006, Sean Christie launched Las Vegas Nightlife Group, a Las Vegas entertainment consulting firm. One of the firm's key clients has been CityCenter Las Vegas, for which the company promoted Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, Vdara Hotel and Spa, and Veer Towers.[3] The firm has also assisted in the opening of Bare Pool Lounge at The Mirage Hotel and Casino and the DayDream Las Vegas Pool Club, serving as Christie’s first day-club concept for the M Resort.[3]
American business magnate Steve Wynn hired Sean Christie in 2007 as managing partner to create the first “boutique” nightclub in Las Vegas, Blush Boutique Nightclub, focusing on “service, ambience and upscale cool over size and flash."[7] For the venue, Christie brought in popular DJs including DJ Kaskade and Blush was noted[by whom?] as successful until its close in 2011. Wynn then commissioned Christie in 2008 to partner with Chef Kim Canteenwalla and Elizabeth Blau to create Society Café at Encore Las Vegas.[3][9]
His next project at Wynn Las Vegas was collaborating on the concept and opening of Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub in the five-diamond resort Encore at Wynn Las Vegas in 2010.[3] Christie brought in popular DJs such as Tiësto, Skrillex, Deadmau5 and Avicii to both venues and as a result, the Encore Beach Club has been voted "Dayclub of the Year" and "Best Las Vegas Adult Pool Party".[3]
Christie debuted Andrea’s in December 2012 with executive chef Joseph Elevado. Andrea's is an Asian restaurant concept in Encore Las Vegas which completes the expansive Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub complex, and is named after Steve Wynn's wife.[3][4]
Christie was named one of “Dance Music’s Most Influential Executives” in 2012 by ''Billboard'' magazine, which cited that he “commands one of the most powerful and lucrative platforms for DJs in the country."[9]
Christie’s on-going project is a Wynn Las Vegas branding initiative, for which he assembled a team in 2013 to source and acquire film, television, and publishing opportunities for the resort. As a result, in 2015 the Wynn was featured in Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, the sequel to 2009's Paul Blart: Mall Cop, in which Christie appeared.[3][8] Christie also acquired the filming of Frank and Lola, a movie by director Matthew Ross which announced its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2016.[10]
Christie's most recent success was the opening of Wynn Las Vegas’ newest concept in gambling and entertainment: Encore Player's Club, which opened at the end of 2015. Encore Player's Club was designed to specifically appeal to millennials and is already having great[clarification needed] success.[11]
References
- ^ http://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/columns-blogs/kats/short-lived-puppet-faces-sept-17-closing-venetian.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ http://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/columns-blogs/norm-clarke/executive-took-bull-horns-nightlife-industry.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h Morris, David (May 2014). "The Wynn Sets Its Sights on Hollywood". Vegas Seven. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ a b c Leach, Robin (15 May 2014). "Q+A: Surrender, EBC exec Sean Christie: 'People all over the world know Las Vegas is the best". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ a b Kaplan, Michael (7 June 2014). "Sean Christie Puts Hotels in the Movies". Vegas Magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ DeFrank, Sean (23 December 2010). "Sean Christie". Vegas 7. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Promises in the Dark: Blush nightclub boss offers patrons night of energy, enjoyment". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Sean Christie's Groundbreaking Concept". Vegas Magazine. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ a b Mason, Kerri (3 February 2012). "Dance Music's Most Influential Executives". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ Sundance.org http://www.sundance.org/blogs/news/sundance-institute-and-skywalker-sound-announce-independent-filmmakers-and-film-composers-for-july2015-music-and-sound-design-labs.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Can Wynn solve the millennial problem with Encore Player's Club?". Travel Weekly. Sarah Feldberg. Retrieved 15 December 2016.