At major events around the world there is always a quiet whisper about where to find “the” party. That’s the one where people in the know turn up for a secret show, or a gathering of those who always seem to be on the list. That group. The ones known by their first names, their private planes, their new flames and their social media games. You know them.
What is not well understood is that there is an industry catering to this group. Those who show up for the big show, the championship game, the awards, or the costumed gala.
Hwood Group has quietly built a presence making sure that they are hosting that special party. It might be alongside an F1 race, or as it was in mid-February, when they created the insiders’ event for Super Bowl 2024. That Super Bowl was special. It had a massive audience boost of women who were following the saga of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend and whether his team would help maintain her win percentage of games she attended. (Spoiler alert: Travis’ team of Chiefs won, preserving Taylor’s viability as a good luck charm and bringing great joy to Swifties worldwide.)
The Super Bowl was held on Sunday afternoon at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, on February 11, 2024. No one goes to Vegas on Sunday. You go Thursday night, or Friday at the latest. Las Vegas is not a pit stop town. It’s party central, and particularly on a weekend when everybody is there. This is Hwood’s sweet spot.
I spoke at length with Brian Toll, Hwood’s Co-President and Founder about how his team built out Homecoming for Super Bowl weekend, and all the other aspects of hospitality which are the core focus of Hwood. Brian is intimately involved in the planning and operational details of all events. In addition, he is deeply familiar with the key Hwood fans who are always up to attend their events. Balancing the room is more than the infrastructure. It’s also an art to make sure the room is filled with a proper mix of who attends to keep the party interesting.
Homecoming was the choice for Hwood’s core group in a town which already had serious DJs playing in venues throughout the town. Every significant hotel has a venue, most have one or more DJs in residencies. The DJs all wanted to be in town for the game. Perhaps the highest demand was for Homecoming, which quietly sold out to the community which makes up Hwood events everywhere.
Hwood built a 45,000 square foot tented structure across the street from the Wynn hotel, and just south of Resorts World. Wynn was hosting big parties at their XS facility, such as Shaquille O’Neal’s event “Shaq’s Fun House” where Shaq (as DJ Diesel), Little Wayne and Diplo were part of the bill. Resorts World was at full capacity in their Zouk nightclub with DJs such as Illenium and Kaskade playing. Hwood’s event “Homecoming” played both Friday and Saturday nights.
There was no shortage of excitement about the artists coming to Homecoming, highlighted by Jack Harlow’s performance on Saturday night. On Friday night it was David Guetta and Future who played, with a surprise appearance by Travis Scott. Saturday performers also included Kaytranada, Zack Bia and Rich the Kid.
Both nights were replete with athletes, their family members, musicians and recognizable faces, all on site to take in the intersection of a great party, topflight music and the building excitement for the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday afternoon.
Homecoming was elegant considering it was a temporary purpose-built facility. Within the main space were two separate booths where DJs would play, and a large, elevated performance stage in the core of the structure. On all sides of the stage were discreetly roped off “L” shaped seating arrangements with a coffee table in front upon which the bottle service was placed. These tables ranged from $25,000 to $100,000 depending on their proximity to the stage. There was also a second floor around the exterior edges of the structure, allowing for a perfect view over the railing and down to the stage and the DJ booths. Here too were bottle service tables, the hallmark of an Hwood event.
For a music event, sound is critical. Hwood hung a massive screen from the centerline of the structure, along with various other digital screens throughout the space. They brought in excellent sound amplification so that this temporary structure had sound fidelity similar to a permanent club room. It is expensive to build 45,000 square feet for two nights, and even more so if it includes proper lighting, stages and sound. But, that is the brand identity of Hwood, and their willingness to do that right is why their events remain in high demand.
Hwood brings in various partners who enhance the atmosphere. Taco Bell is a frequent partner and held top billing at this event. They built a second tent outside the main structure for use as a lounge, and where they made tacos which servers circulated throughout the event for those in need of a quick snack. There was also Crown Royal who both poured drinks and passed out logoed hats and T-shirts along with many other Hwood partners.
The Hwood model is replicated by their team around the world, for whatever event draws their key demographic. The brand is based upon a consistently high level of comfort, topflight entertainers, and a carefully curated mix of those who attend. However, this is not their only business. Hwood operates Delilah restaurants in Las Vegas, West Hollywood, and Miami. These restaurants have live music during dinner, then a DJ playing late into the evening. The rooms are luxurious, with expensive buildouts, and lavish interiors. They a throwback to the supper clubs of old where people went to spend the evening with friends, rather than just dine and then head out elsewhere. Hwood is consistent in the mix of who are in residence at their restaurants, it is a consistent demographic.
Similarly, Hwood has opened a private club in West Hollywood known as The Bird Streets. This is a member only club open to those who are invited to join and have the resources to pay both the initiation fee and the ongoing annual membership fee. For those who do belong, this is an intimate club meant to allow members to have easy access to the space and to facilitate members building friendships among themselves.
Hwood has two more brands: Bootsy Bellows and The Nice Guys to round out their portfolio of assets. It’s a very interesting play: there is a core group of high profile people who attend events worldwide, and while there know that Hwood Group undoubtedly has something special planned to enhance the experience. They form the core constituency in attendance. The combination of who is anticipated to be in the room, along with Hwood’s reputation for delivering an over-the-top lineup of acts creates demand in excess of the available seats. This strategy is self-reinforcing, and will continue to make Hwood events high on everyone’s list wherever they pop up. Brian Toll and his team are focused on keeping their events in high demand, something which they have been doing successfully for years. Their formula is simple: people will pay top dollar for something special. So, they focus on making their events special. That is a blueprint for long lasting success.