A daytime retreat conceived in revelry and dedicated to the proposition that all sunbathers are created equal—that’s Wet Republic. It was a cool April day in 2008 when MGM Grand’s ultra pool arrived on the scene. EDM culture hadn’t taken over the world and dayclubs still lagged behind their nighttime counterparts when it came to celebrity DJ programming.
Back then, the talk was all about Wet’s size—an unprecedented 54,500 square feet divvied up into a series of pools (saltwater and freshwater), lounging areas and VIP cabanas. As far as adults-only dayclubs went, it was the grandest.
But the difference between 2008 and 2015 in daylife is the difference between drafting a manuscript on vellum versus a three-dimensional printer. Not content to rest on its laurels, Wet upped its DJ game considerably, bringing in Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki, Hardwell and Tiësto from Hakkasan Nightclub’s roster and offering sets by Krewella and The Chainsmokers, as well as rare collaborations like Afroki (Afrojack and Aoki), set for Electric Daisy Carnival weekend.
They’ve recently entered the after-dark pool party scene, too, with the inaugural season of Wet at Night. The midweek soirée launched quietly at the end of last year and, thanks to a strong showing, returns 18 times throughout 2015, with Dada Life spinning the grand opening on Wednesday, May 20, and Harris, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano and Showtek returning throughout the year.
This week’s DJ lineup features sets by The Chainsmokers (May 10), Calvin Harris (May 16) and Tïësto (May 17).
MGM Grand, 11 a.m. till close Thurs.-Mon., cover charge applies. 702.891.3563
