One Evening in Las Vegas: Cruising the Strip with The Commercial Observer.
By Daniel Geiger May 23, 2012 7:30 am
reprints7:50: The CO, after trekking for what seems like miles finally arrives at Il Mulino for an intimate party hosted by Massey Knakal. The food at Il Mulino looks delicious but The CO is unfortunately full on fish-stick tacos. Perhaps noticing that The CO is starting to look peeked, James Nelson, a top executive at Massey Knakal, orders us a RedBull on the rocks. “It gives you wings,” the server quips.
8:10: The CO arrives at the marquee attraction of the night, Newmark (NMRK) Grubb Knight Frank’s epic yearly bash at, appropriately, the club Marquee at The Cosmopolitan, one of the nicest hotels in Vegas we’ve heard. There’s nothing like seeing a bunch of over-the-hill real estate executives sway to throbbing electronic music on a roof top lounge.
8:35: A real estate executive who will remain unnamed for obvious reasons points out a stunningly attractive young woman at the bar to his cohort. “Look at that, she’s not wearing a bra or panties,” he declares. The CO asks how he has liked Vegas’s famous pool parties. “I’ve gotten a ton of numbers,” the executive says. The CO congratulates our Vegas friend on his pick up artistry. “No it’s just catch and release,” he says. “I’m married.”
9:15: Still on New York time – and with the buzz of that Red Bull long since gone – The CO is fading again. Adam Leitman Bailey, a high profile real estate attorney in NYC, pops over and revives us. “I’ve been at the pool all day,” he says, after we comment on his dark tan. No wonder he’s so energized.
10:15: The CO is thinking about bed and is nearing the exit when we bump into CBRE’s Brad Gerla looking chic in an unbuttoned black dress shirt and blazer. “The conference was good but a little quiet towards the latter part of the day,” he observes. He points to the briefcase in The CO’s hand and the ICSC press badge still around our neck. “Uh, why didn’t you drop that stuff off at your hotel room?” Mr. Gerla asks. “I would lose that stuff. That’s not a good look.”
