A new Downtown nightclub opened this weekend, attracting droves of UF students and Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte.
Simons Nightclub hosted its grand opening at 8 S. Main St. on Saturday night, following its soft opening on Thursday and Friday.
“We focused on three distinct things: The service, the music and the ambiance,” said Ryan Prodesky, director of marketing for 101 Management, which provides management and service solutions for leisure and hospitality brands.
The club reached its 440-person capacity by midnight, said Jordan Best, a 22-year-old security guard and UF alumnus.
Club goers entered a 6,500-square-foot, entirely white room. Guests shouted cocktail orders as others nudged to get to the front of the bar. Music blared out of speakers, pulsating with the dancing bodies.
All VIP tables sold out at Simons on Saturday and were dotted with celebrities, including Lochte.
The UF alumnus spent the majority of the night in the sectioned-off VIP lounge. Lochte briefly left the VIP section to join the crowd on the dance floor.
He sipped on drinks throughout the evening, talking with fans and posing for pictures.
“I’m having a blast,” Lochte said.
