Jamill Ballard will be stationed at one of the Las Vegas Strip’s hottest spots come New Year’s Eve. As VIP services manager for Drai’s Beachclub and Nightclub at The Cromwell, the Las Vegas native will be manning the doors to the grand celebration.
“It’s a great experience not only for the artists that we have but for the views of the Strip,” says Ballard. “Our location is the 50-yard line of the Strip. We’re across from Caesars Palace and they put on one of the largest fireworks displays, and we’re right across the street from it!”
Ballard has been celebrating the holiday every year at Drai’s since 2014, when he joined the rooftop nightclub as a junior host. Since then, he’s worked his way up the ladder and received his current title about four years ago. “Here at Drai’s, we like to develop our team,” he says. “So I look at myself more as a mentor. I put myself second. What I love to see is my junior hosts, my senior hosts, my customer development team succeed. And if I can be a part of their growth, that’s more than enough for me. I’m a very hands-on manager. I’m going to be right there alongside my team out in the field. I always want my team to know that I have their back and we’ll get through things together. I’ll always be there to guide the way.”
Part of the perks of the job for Ballard is taking care of his VIP clients, including many athletes. “I’m very passionate about sports—I really love to see young talent blossom into professional athletes. One of my customers now, Lonzo Ball, player for the Chicago Bulls, I’ve been following him since he was a kid, and now I personally know him. It’s kinda cool—one of the benefits of the job that ties into my passion for sports. Look, being born and raised here, I never thought that I’d be working on the Strip, but the career path that I’ve chosen has turned into a blessing. My career has opened a lot of doors for me.”
Libation: Bottle Presentations
The nightclub loves to theme its bottle presentations, like Mario Kart or a gold-plated Jeep containing Aces of Spades champagne bottles in a glowing suitcase. “The whole room will be looking at your table; you’ll get all the attention when you order one of our bottle presentations,” Ballard says. New Year’s Eve festivities at Drai’s includes performances by Jeezy (Dec. 30), 2 Chainz (Jan. 1) and Tory Lanez (Jan. 2). On Dec. 31, Rick Ross performs and leads the crowd in an official midnight countdown.
Benefit: The King’s Table is the largest table at Drai’s Nightclub with one of the best views of the live concerts.
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