Miami is known worldwide to be one of the best places to enjoy exciting nightlife. With it being filled with numerous high-society nightclubs, people are sure to have a wonderful time in the city. E11EVEN Miami, in particular, stands tall above the rest of the nightclubs, thanks to nightclub magnate Gino LoPinto’s management.
Having been born in New York and raised in Las Vegas, Gino LoPinto grew up craving action. He was a baseball player for UNLV and worked at his godfather’s speakeasy Gianni Russo’s State Street after he graduated. Gino eventually found his niche in the industry and decided to start his own enterprise.
“I fell in love with the business. I went on to open several of my own nightclubs in Las Vegas in the 90s, including Utopia, Metropolis, Empire and Glo. I turned the Spearmint Rhino Las Vegas from a failing club to one of the most successful Gentlemen’s clubs in the world,” shared Gino LoPinto.
But even after the tremendous amount of time and effort that Gino put into his business, he was not immune to the risk that came with entrepreneurship. Just as his businesses were reaching their pinnacle, Gino lost everything in the financial crisis and housing collapse between 2008 and 2010.
However, Gino did not let the unfortunate incident discourage him, and new opportunities opened up for him. Three years later, he was contacted by his close friend and colleague Dennis DeGori to work with him in Miami. Seeing as Dennis is one of the eight members of the Gentlemen’s Club Hall of Fame and is widely regarded as one of the best club operators globally, it was a chance that appeared too good to pass up.
Dennis informed Gino about his vision for a revolutionary nightlife concept that would change the industry. The offer sounded highly compelling, with it being an opportunity that could get Gino the second chance to thrive in the industry he is passionate about. But he had his wife and three small children back home to consider, so it took two more trips and two more nos before Gino finally accepted Dennis’ invitation to become his partner.
Gino took the leap of faith and found himself prospering again within the industry he loves. “We have built E11EVEN into a lifestyle brand and currently have the highest revenue per square feet of any nightclub in the country. There are only three or four clubs that exceed our annual gross sales, and those are all in Las Vegas—four times bigger than us with thousands of rooms above and around them,” Gino said.
Despite the success he’s experiencing today, Gino acknowledges the hardships that came with his entrepreneurial journey. As he explained, “Hospitality is a very tough industry, particularly nightlife, as the public is always looking for the newest next best thing. To keep things fresh and forward thinking is always the biggest challenge that’s in front of you. The highs have been very high and the struggles very low.”
Gino LoPinto is proud to be part of the team at the forefront of Downtown Miami’s gentrification. Together with his purpose-driven partner and team, he aims to establish additional club brands, beach clubs, restaurants, hotels, and gaming businesses in more prominent cities moving forward.
