• Pit+Paddock (powered by Turn 14 Distribution) Clubhouse is a fresh take on the SEMA nightclub hospitality experience that prioritizes relationships and networking over booming music.
• AST/MOTON and ARP became Presenting sponsors for this industry remix while Hawk Performance and Aeromotive contributed toward our effort as VIP sponsors.
• An open bar, small bites, and good music helped satiate the crowd while T14 customers, vendors, and industry tastemakers got to know each other better outside the conference’s confines.
• Notable influencers like Annika Carter, Sean Myers from Precision Sport Industries, Ryan and Ash Stewart from Regal AutoSport, and Vin Anatra were among the long list of attendees.

When SEMA veterans see a term called “home-tainment” get coined as a popular alternative to nights out, we 30 and 40-somethings immediately understand that traditional nightclub events at the Las Vegas tradeshow now have an expiration date. Indeed, one night to experience Las Vegas as mass media portrays it—the city of vibrant, sensationalized nightlife and excess—feels like the upper limit in 2024. So when Pit+Paddock (powered by Turn 14 Distribution) wanted to create a destination for SEMA goers on Tuesday night, we consciously made our “Clubhouse” take on a different tone.

SWING FOR THE FENCES

At first, the saturation of SEMA nightlife events made us forego exploring the concept of a club event outright. The “Clubhouse” name was a not-so-subtle reference to our Tuesday night host venue: Top Golf. In some ways, our decision to do something different in 2021 was a risk; the SEMA show was famously canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, and people’s appetite for social gatherings was a big unknown to us. Still, we thought it was important to think outside the box to imagine a more intimate and relaxed hotspot for people to have fun and network with other industry guests.

The experiment worked. So much so that we had to find another venue that could accommodate the volume of industry players that wanted to attend. Rather than put in a bid to overtake the entire Las Vegas Top Golf footprint, we put our thinking caps back on to come up with a fresh alternative.

SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT

I’ll be the first to admit that we mulled over a plethora of options before eventually deciding on Marquee at the Cosmopolitan. I know what you’re thinking. I spent the first part of this story talking about how we sought something different, and now I’m talking about a nightclub. We knew how it would come across, too. And that put pressure on us to find a new way to repurpose the traditionally boombastic space.

We invited more than 200 people to experience Clubhouse 2.0. Although first impressions—the VIP line, the guest list, the wristbands—made you think it’d be “just another” club night, we aimed to, quite literally, leave all of the nightclub’s traditions at the door. Case in point, there was no need to brace for the auditory onslaught once those elevator doors opened to the Marquee Dome. Yes, there was music, but it was being pumped through Marquee’s massive speakers at a respectful volume. There was an open bar, of course, but there was also chef-prepared food. And lots of ice cream.

The only thing there was more of than our hospitality preparations was industry guests; we made it a point to invite very specific vendors, influencers, content creators, and Turn 14 Distribution customers to create this magical amalgamation of networking and nightlife. It felt like a very natural extension of the SEMA show floor but without the stiffness of a tradeshow polo and nametag. The feedback reaffirmed that we were onto something special here, and we sought to bring it back for another year with a couple of key improvements.

SECONDS, PLEASE

This year’s effort transformed the Marquee Dome space into a complete lounge—notably more seating and walk-around food service—which acknowledged that most of our guests had been on their feet for nearly half the day already. Our valued partners were treated to a generous slathering of branding throughout the Marquee footprint, including specially appointed lounge pillows, napkins, bar and navigational signage, and an unmissable appearance on Marquee’s enormous dome screen.

The buzz from last year meant there were plenty of conference attendees who were vying for an invite. Still, we were conscious of treading the careful line between party and networking event. The guests that came were certainly more interested in the latter. T14 customers, vendors, and industry tastemakers got to know each other better outside the conference’s confines, while notable influencers like Annika Carter, Sean Myers from Precision Sport Industries, Ryan and Ash Stewart from Regal AutoSport, and Vin Anatra joined the fray to mix and mingle.

Were there legitimate business deals inked that night? It’s not likely. But the real value of Clubhouse was to provide a much more conducive forum to have real conversations, ones that would proverbially open doors or strengthen relationships. As intended, Clubhouse removed barriers. And in a soft year where trust matters more than ever, that leg up means everything. That’s not something you’ll ever get from “home-tainment.”

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