New York’s nightlife impresarios have taken their acts on the road and now dominate the industry nationwide.
In a new column on ClubPlanet.com, Alan Philips crunches the bottle-service receipts and estimates that Jeffrey Chodorow‘sChina Grill Management company, which operates the Gansevoort Roof Deck and new club Provocateur in the Meatpacking District — plus dozens of restaurants and lounges in hotels and casinos around the country — is the most successful nightlife outfit in the game, with $200 million in revenue in 2009.
In second place with an estimated $125 million was Andrew Sasson‘s Light Group. “It’s truly incredible to see how well the hospitality business is doing even in these tough economic times,” Sasson, who now owns the Bank and Haze in Vegas but who got his start running the Jet Lounge in SoHo, tells Page Six. Vegas honcho Victor Drai‘scompany landed in the third spot, while Noah Tepperberg, Jason Strauss, Marc Packer and Rich Wolf, who own Marquee and Avenue in New York, took fourth place, with an estimated $100 million in revenue.
Other heavy hitters include Cindy Crawford‘s husband Rande Gerber, who owns the Stone Rose lounge at Time Warner Center, among others. Gerber, who runs his empire with brother Scott Gerber, reportedly took in $64 million last year. Gerber’s former employee Eugene Remm, who owns SL and Abe & Arthur’s in the Meatpacking District with partners Marc Birnbaum and Michael Hirtenstein, grossed $27 million.
Also making the cut where Cain and Surf Lodge owners Jamie Mulholland and Jayma Cardoso, 1Oak and Butter owners Scott Sartiano and Richie Akiva, and, at $20 million, M2 owner Joey Morrissey.
Some of the kingpins as well as hotelier Ian Schrager are also featured in Haute Living’s “Kings of Cool” spread on club kings.