Zero Bond co-founder Scott Sartiano is the jet-setter who sets trends. His club at Wynn Las Vegas has just debuted, with a fancy opening party and expectations as high as the flights he takes between his hot spots in New York and Las Vegas.
We caught the 51-year-old on the comeback to Las Vegas during the first week of his new club’s opening. His thoughts on Zero Bond’s West Coast premiere:
On the “wow” or unexpected feelings, thoughts and ideas now that he is fully operational:
“You spend years imagining how a place is going to feel, but you never really know until people start spending time in it. The biggest ‘revelation’ for me has been how quickly the room found its rhythm. From the first preview day, members treated it like it was already theirs, and that’s when you know you did something right.
“The opening was obviously a big moment, but honestly, that was the easy part. Now the real work starts. Zero Bond has never been about a single night. It’s about showing up for members every day and giving them the experience they expect from the brand. The ‘wow’ for me has been seeing that actually happen in real time. Things like the conversations people have, the energy in the dining room, people running into each other and staying for hours longer than they planned. That’s the magic.”
On his biggest challenges moving forward:
“The challenge is the same as it’s always been: Protecting the culture. When something works, everyone wants access to it. But the value of a place like this is the community and the environment we’ve built. You have to be thoughtful about how it grows so it doesn’t lose what made it special in the first place.
“Vegas is also a very different ecosystem than New York. There’s an incredible mix of people here, so our job is to curate that in a way that still feels like Zero Bond while also reflecting the city.”
On the membership process, the waiting list for the Las Vegas club and approval criteria:
“The membership process is something we’ve been very focused on because it sets the tone for everything that happens inside the club. It’s important that people feel it’s intentional, not transactional. Membership isn’t really about what someone does professionally or whether they can afford it. For the most part, money isn’t the barrier to entry. What we care about is whether someone contributes to the culture of the room. Are they the kind of person other members actually want to spend time around?
“The response in Las Vegas has been incredibly strong. We never share membership numbers, but we already have a healthy waiting list. That’s by design. We like to grow the membership slowly and thoughtfully while we see how people are using the space and where we want to add more members. It’s less about hitting a number and more about making sure the community evolves in the right way.
“In terms of members, we’re looking for people who are shaping the city. Leaders in hospitality, entertainment, sports, technology, philanthropy. But just as important are people who bring curiosity and creativity into the room. The best clubs are made up of people who make the table more interesting. That’s really the north star for us.”
On the reported $3 million cost for the opening party, including a $1.5 million appearance fee for recording star Doja Cat:
“I won’t comment on what was spent, but I will say it was a great weekend, and we’re really grateful to everyone who came out to celebrate with us.
“For me, the opening wasn’t about making a statement. It was about marking the moment with the community that helped bring the club to life. So many people worked incredibly hard on this project for a long time, and the weekend was really a chance to celebrate that with our members, our partners, and friends of the club. The opening week of festivities was also a great opportunity to spend time with new members and get to know the growing Zero Bond community in Las Vegas.
“Las Vegas is also a city that understands celebration, so it felt right to kick things off in a way that brought people together and captured that energy. But ultimately, that weekend was just the beginning. Now the focus shifts to what matters most, which is welcoming members in on a regular basis and delivering the experience they expect from the club every day. That’s the real story for us going forward.”
Cool Hang Alert
Wynn’s sister property, Encore, still hops with its dueling piano shows from 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It’s Chris Lash and David James Guidice as principal singers/pianists/sing-along enforcers. No cover in this chic, fun, interactive party.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.