LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas is built on hospitality, but with tourism slowing and service-industry cutbacks across the valley, many workers are looking for new ways to make ends meet.
One local gentlemen’s club says it’s now seeing a surge in people with no dancing experience walking in to audition.
Shakeria Hawkins visited a local club to get a better idea of the recent changes:
Crazy Horse 3, a 24-hour adult entertainment venue just off the Strip, reports a major increase in workers from traditional hospitality roles, including concierges, bartenders, and cocktail servers, applying to become dancers.
Operations Manager Louis Aceves says the shift is unlike anything he’s seen in his 11 years with the club.
“We’re doing auditions nightly… seven days a week,” Aceves said. “People need to work and try to earn a living.”
According to Aceves, auditions have jumped nearly 60% over the last few months, driven largely by economic uncertainty and fewer hours available in restaurants, hotels, and nightlife venues.
One of the newcomers is Gina, a former Strip concierge who lost her job earlier this year. She says she never considered exotic dancing until layoffs forced her to rethink her options.
“When I was laid off, it was: what are you going to do? You have to figure it out,” she said.
After auditioning in August, she joined the club’s roster and says the transition was less daunting than she expected. Her background in hospitality, she says, actually helps.
“With concierge experience, I’m used to dealing with high-end clients,” she explained.
The pay has also been a dramatic change.
“What I make in a week… I can make in a night,” Gina said.
She now plans to stay in the industry while using the income to fund other personal goals.
Crazy Horse 3 currently has around 500 contracted dancers, and Aceves says business has remained strong despite the slowdown affecting much of Las Vegas.
“We see a constant flow of business,” he said. “And when big events happen in town, it grows even more.”
Club managers say anyone considering the industry should research pay structures, ask questions about fees and contracts, and fully understand what the job entails before making the switch.
Crazy Horse 3 expects auditions to stay high through the holidays as economic uncertainty continues to push workers toward new types of employment in the valley.
