Victor Drai

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Victor Drai
Born (1947-07-25) July 25, 1947 (age 77)
Casablanca, Morocco
Nationality Franco-American[1][2]
Occupation Nightclub owner, Film producer
Spouse(s) Loryn Locklin (1990–current)
Kelly Le Brock (1984–1986)[3]
Partner(s) Jacqueline Bisset (1973–1980)[4]
Children Dustin (b. 1993)
Website http://www.drais.net

Victor Drai (born July 25, 1947) is a Franco-American[1][2] nightclub owner, entrepreneur and film producer.[5] Drai rose to prominence in the 1980s, producing the movies The Woman in Red and Weekend at Bernie's before leaving the industry to open a string of high-profile restaurants and nightclubs.[3][6][7]

Early life

Drai was born in Casablanca, Morocco to Jewish parents. He dropped out of school at 14 to move to Paris, France, with his family. In 1968, he launched a ready-to-wear line called Vicadam, which featured velvet jeans.[8]

In 1974, Drai met Jacqueline Bisset on a non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Paris and the two began a transatlantic relationship.[9] Drai sold the fashion line and relocated to the United States to be with Bisset and began a new business flipping Beverly Hills mansions.[8]

Film production

In 1982, Drai and then-girlfriend Kelly Le Brock traveled to Paris where they saw the movie Pardon Mon Affaire. With the help of David Begelman, Drai produced a remake titled The Woman in Red which was released in 1984.[10] It starred Le Brock and Gene Wilder, who adapted the script from the original.[11] Based on that movie's success, Drai then produced a series of comedies including another French remake, The Man with One Red Shoe (1985), and Weekend at Bernie's (1989).[3][12][13]

Restaurants and nightclubs

In 1993, after the birth of his first child with second wife Loryn Locklin, Drai made the decision to open a restaurant, which he felt would be a more family-friendly career.[3] He contracted French chef Claude Segal, who'd replaced Wolfgang Puck at the upscale restaurant Ma Maison in 1985.[14] With Segal, he opened the restaurant Drai's in the L'Ermitage Beverly Hills hotel and it quickly became an iconic success.[9]

In 1995, Drai decided to open a second Drai's in Las Vegas. A couple years later, he started an afterhours club, "That started everything,” Drai stated.[15] In December 2013, he opened a steakhouse on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles called Rare by Drai's.[16]

Drai owned a now-closed venue in March 2010, Drai's Hollywood; a rooftop restaurant, pool, and nightclub at the W Hotel in Hollywood.[17]

In 1997, Drai opened Drai’s restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip.[18] Two years later, Drai added a nightclub to the restaurant, re-branding it Drai’s After Hours.[19] In Vegas Seven's 2012 Nightclub Awards, Drai's After Hours won "Best Place to Disappear".[20] He currently operates Drai’s After Hours nightclub at The Cromwell Las Vegas.[21]

In 2007, Drai took over La Bete at Wynn Las Vegas and re-branded it Tryst.[22] It has a 90-foot waterfall and lake in the middle of the club. In 2012, Vegas Seven's Nightclub Awards awarded Tryst "Best Place to Impress".[23] In 2013, Tryst placed #8 in the Top 100 Nightclub & Bar Roster for Nightclub & Bar Magazine.[24]

Drai opened XS nightclub at Encore Las Vegas in 2008.[25] In 2010, XS won Nightclub & Bar Awards for "New Club of the Year" and "Mega-Club of the Year.[26] " In 2013, Nightclub & Bar Magazine awarded XS the "Mega-Club of the Year.[27] " Technomic, the Chicago-based hospitality market research firm that partners with Nightclub & Bar magazine on The Top 100, named XS number one nightclub in the nation for 2010.[28] In 2010, Drai was bought out of his managing partnership at Steve Wynn's Tryst and XS to pursue other endeavors.[29]

Drai opened his latest Las Vegas club project, Drai’s Beach Club & Nightclub, on Memorial Day Weekend 2014, at The Cromwell Las Vegas.[30] This 65,000-square-foot venue has a party pool and an indoor/outdoor club spread out over two levels on top of the new Cromwell Hotel.[31]

Drai is one of sixteen Professionals listed in the Nightclub Hall Of Fame[32]

References

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External links

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  21. ↑ Wynn Las Vegas, Victor Drai end partnership Amanda Finnegan Fri, Aug 27, 2010 Las Vega Weekly
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  32. ↑ Nightclubhalloffame.com
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