Both image and buzz are apparently going to be the key to success for Scottsdale's newest joint, Wild Knight. The club, on Saddlebag Trail, is expected to open sometime later this month, and is gaining a reputation for the ownership's grand scheme to make the club super-exclusive and downright secretive.
There won't be a line out the door of Wild Knight on its opening night ... or any other night for that matter. The club's owners (which includes Dan Wierck, Jonathan Valz, and John Dolan, all of whom launched Jackrabbit Lounge back in 2006) are requiring that their staff be highly selective on who they let into the joint.
Only cover model types, those sporting the finest threads, and folks with the biggest bankrolls will supposedly be getting in. Plus, patrons will have to essentially know someone working there to gain access. While "know-who" has always been the best way to get past velvet ropes and doormen, this is the first time it's been explicitly stated.
It's not the only screwy thing about Wild Knight. Not only will it boast a high-end medieval theme (Dungeons and Dragons meets dancing and debauchery, perhaps?), absolutely no cameras will be allowed inside. There's also no cocktail menu, no guest list, and no sort of drink specials planned to boot.
Hell, there's barely any signage letting you know the place is even there. Currently, its exterior is relatively unmarked, save for a QR barcode outside its front door (which leads to an online job application) and a few twinkling lights in its frosted windows.
So how's the place gonna, you know, make any effin' money (and stay open longer than a month)? Wild Knight's will reportedly cater to high-rollers and big-spenders willing to pony up for primo tables, both of which will get access instead of the usual $30K "millionaires." (We're guessing that bottle service and drink prices will also be sky high). There's been no word on if they'll be checking bank statements at the front door.
There's also the whole cockamamie aspect of the "no photos" policy, especially given that fact that high-quality cell phone cameras are everywhere these days. Security guards will supposedly put the smackdown on any patron using a camera of any sort, in an attempt to preserve Wild Knight's clandestine aura and prevent saucy photos of drunken exploits from appearing on sites like The Dirty or elsewhere.
Although cultivating an elitist image might seem like a nifty concept, it could be Wild Knight's undoing. Ultra-exclusive clubs never seem to last long. There's a reason why The Door in Tempe (which required patrons to know secret passwords) or Black Card Ultra Lounge in North Scottsdale (which also made boasts about catering to certain clientele) both went bust.
