LOS ANGELES, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Los Angeles night club managers are pulling out all stops for big-ticket bottle services they say are keeping the scene alive in a tough economy.
Well-heeled patrons, mainly professional athletes and jet setters, have been racking up five-figure tabs in Hollywood and other LA hot spots, and the establishments make sure they get their money's worth.
"All the clubs are vying for their business," Abdi Manavi, co-owner of Supperclub, told the Los Angeles Times. "One of these guys could go nuts and spend 20K, and that makes a huge difference for the club."
The "guys" Manavi referred to were the approximately 10 coveted customers that have earned the Las Vegas moniker "whale" for their big-spending ways. The clubs reciprocate by making sure these devotees of the good life are accommodated at every turn.
Clubs often comp celebrities, provide security and keep the women-to-men ratio attractive. There is also a never-ending supply of top-shelf liquor and champagne available.
Bottle service is available for a few grand to folks further down the Hollywood pecking order, and some patrons consider it a good deal. Marina del Rey banker An Pham, 31, told the Times it enables him to impress visiting clients without the ordeal of trying to flag down a server and order individual drinks over the deafening music.
"It takes half an hour to buy drinks at the bar," Pham said. "I don't wait in line here."
