The MPI Foundation will return this year to present Rendezvous, the IMEX America Night, on Oct. 17 at Drai’s, a lavish indoor/outdoor club located on the rooftop of The Cromwell hotel, a Caesars Entertainment property. Funds raised from the signature event are invested in scholarships, grants and pan-industry research.

We recently spoke with Rivka Noble, vice president of catering, entertainment and corporate sales for Drai’s Enterperises.

How can holding an event in a nightclub help a meeting planner demonstrate ROI?
Holding an event within a space like Drai’s, which is both a nightclub and a beach club that is already set up with décor, lighting, sound and staging, can really help a meeting planner spend their client’s budget on enhancing the guests’ food, beverage and entertainment experiences.

What types of entertainment does Drai’s offer that prove most popular with groups?
Drais encompasses everything exceptional for a corporate event. We have the most incredible views of the Las Vegas Strip, but it isn’t just a view. You feel like you are immersed in a movie set. Splash mobs have become very popular. A team of dancers dresses like attendees with badges and at that perfect moment when the reception dinner is done our DJ Warren Peace kicks up the music and suddenly what looks like a bunch of random attendees jump into the pools and are now performing a full on dance routine in the water!  

What’s a memorable event you’ve been involved with and why does it stand out?
Well, there are two that stand out. Without question my favorite event is our yearly Rendezvous event! I get to partner with Caesars, IMEX and MPI to showcase Drai’s. Having over 2,000 meeting planners dancing away at DJ Warren Peace is such a huge treat for me. The Zappos Vendor Appreciation Party is the other. The event activation team is so creative and they go to the ends of the earth to create their guest experiences. This year was a Havana Nights Party that took the guests on a journey through three different visual and entertainment environments, so the guests upon arrival experienced Drai’s as a lively street party with salsa dancers, a splash mob, a Fedora hat wall for the men, a jewelry station for the women, a mojito wall and a cigar station. Oh, and lets not forget the live tropical birds and iguana photo stations. Zappos fully utilized the LED screens as a changing backdrop from street party to rainforest to falling Cuban pesos. It was pretty spectacular.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
My job is the most stressful and most rewarding. We are activating two to three events per week and each event takes many hours of dedication. Throwing parties is fantastic because you get to be a part of everyone’s great time here. You will find me quite frequently on stage tossing out dance batons to the crowds below. I mean, what is more enjoyable than that?

What advise do you have for planners considering an event in a nightclub?
Maximize what the venue has to offer. Ask questions about what has been most successful and relay your budgets to accomplish the client’s main goal. We want to have a successful event alongside you, and we are here to help stretch the budget and imagination together.

Click here to learn more about and sign up for Rendezvous, the IMEX America Night.