Sapphire in Las Vegas, RCI/Rick’s Cabaret and Bellzora take top honors at 2019 ED’s Awards Show!
The Annual Adult Nightclub & Exotic Dancer Awards show was held at the Criss Angel Theater at Planet Hollywood on Tuesday, August 13th, during the 27th Annual Gentlemen’s Club EXPO
Celebrating the best-of-the-best in the multi-billion-dollar gentlemen’s club industry, the Annual Adult Nightclub & Exotic Dancer Awards Show—better-known as the ED Awards Show—was held once again during the Gentlemen’s Club Owners EXPO in Las Vegas and was presented in a Brand Education Partnership with Patron Tequila. Still the only international awards show dedicated exclusively to this industry, these awards rank as the industry’s most prestigious for clubs, entertainers and club staff.
In 2019, the evening’s big winners included Sapphire Gentlemen’s Club in Las Vegas, the Overall Gentlemen’s Club of the Year; RCI Hospitality/Rick’s Cabaret, the Club Chain of the Year; and Bellzora, the Overall Feature Entertainer of the Year. The show was held at the impressive Criss Angel Theater inside Planet Hollywood and was hosted by Comedy Central star and top comedian Chris Distefano. The show also included command performances by the three Overall Entertainer of the Year nominees Bellzora, Justice and Shar Zayn.
“We were very gratified to hear how many of our Awards Show guests enjoyed the show, especially our comedian Chris Distefano and the entertainer nominee performers,” says ED Publications Associate Publisher Dave Manack. “It was one of the most seamless Awards Shows we’ve had in 22 years of producing this show, and it set a standard for years to come.”
The Annual ED Awards Show was the centerpiece of the three-day Gentlemen’s Club EXPO, which features three full days of seminars, a B2B tradeshow showcasing products and services for clubs, networking events, and lively parties. This year’s 27th Annual EXPO boasted the first-ever “ED University” Training Certification Seminars, where expert speakers gave training seminars on very specific topics such as alcohol service, club security, chargeback protection and leadership. Other seminars discussed key legal issues facing the industry, and the EXPO’s seminars were punctuated by a rousing Keynote Address by movie producer and band manager Andy Gould.
The Las Vegas Hustler Club hosted the Official Opening Night Party on Monday, August 12th, and the three-story club was packed with convention attendees. Guests were treated to nine ED Award presentations ahead of the main Awards Show, as well as a special guest performance by 2018 ED’s Entertainer of the Year, the talented and stunningly attractive Natasha Nova. The EXPO came to a very sexy close on Wednesday, August 14th, with the first-ever $10,000 Lingerie Contest and Pajama Jam at Planet Hollywood’s Gallery Nightclub, presented by Religion Tequila. Top winners from the lingerie contest included adult entertainer Reya Sunshine (First Place), Persia of Shadow Cabaret in Miami (Second Place), and Canadian feature entertainer Heather Heaven (Third Place).
The complete list of ED Award Winners is attached below. For more information about the Annual Gentlemen’s Club EXPO, please visit theEDexpo.com, email dave@edpublications.com or call (727) 726-3592.
(All photos by Tim Hubbard unless otherwise noted)
Here is the complete list of 2019 ED Award Winners:
Overall Gentlemen’s Club of the Year
Sapphire, Las Vegas
Club Chain of the Year
RCI/Rick’s Cabaret
Overall Feature Entertainer of the Year
Bellzora
ED Hall of Fame
John Kirkendoll (Kirkendoll Management)
Club of the Year East
The Penthouse Club, Baltimore
Small Club of the Year East
Club Alex’s, Stoughton, MA
Club of the Year South
Deja Vu, Nashville
Small Club of the Year South
Shadow Cabaret, Hialeah, FL
Club of the Year Central
Bucks Wild, Dallas
Small Club of the Year Central
The Pony Club, East Cape Girardeau, IL
Club of the Year West
Spearmint Rhino, Los Angeles
Small Club of the Year West
Devil’s Point, Portland
Feature Club of the Year
Exposé, San Diego
International Club of the Year
Bada Bing, Copenhagen, Denmark
Urban Club of the Year
Magic City, Atlanta
General Manager of the Year
Mario Rinaldi, Monroe’s of Palm Beach, Florida
Employee of the Year
Heaven, House Mom, Pony Club Memphis
DJ of the Year
Jeremy Sweigert, Michaels Men’s Club, Broussard, LA
Newcomer Entertainer of the Year
Pixie Raye
Club Favorite Entertainer of the Year
BJ McNaughty
Adult Entertainer of the Year
Jessa Rhodes
International Showgirl of the Year
Gracie Lace
Miss ExoticDancer.com of the Year
Heather Heaven
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