Born in New York City and raised in Las Vegas, Gino Lopinto grew up with a genuine love for action, adventure, and sports, having played basketball throughout the majority of his life. After graduating from UNLV, Gino got a job to work at his godfather’s speakeasy Gianni Russo’s State Street. Not long after putting one foot into the industry, he fell in love with the business. Eventually, Gino took his own leap of faith and started his own nightclubs, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the club scene in Las Vegas in the 90s. His nightclubs included Utopia, Metropolis, Empire, and Glo.
Besides starting his own brands, Gino also played an instrumental role in turning the Spearmint Rhino Las Vegas around from a failing club to one of the most successful gentlemen’s clubs in the world.
Still, despite his hard work and the passion he puts into his entrepreneurial ventures, Gino was not immune to the economic downfall between 2008 and 2010. He lost everything he had built because of the financial crisis and housing collapse. But he did not allow those circumstances to define where he was heading. Three years later, he was invited by a close friend and colleague, Dennis DeGori, one of the eight members of the Gentlemen’s Club Hall of Fame and known globally as one of the best club operators on the planet, to work with him in Miami.
For someone who has just lost everything, having an offer aligned with his passion sounded highly compelling. But with his wife and three young children at home, it took two more trips and two more nos before Gino finally took the offer to be Dennis’ partner. Landing in a new city, the two immediately discussed how they could revolutionize Miami’s nightlife and introduce new concepts to the community.
“We have built E11EVEN into a lifestyle and brand and currently have the biggest 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,” shared Gino.
Even with the challenges in the hospitality industry, particularly the nightclub scene, Gino and his partner are optimistic that they will be able to put E11EVEN on the map, targeting more prominent cities across the country in the next couple of years. Besides nightclubs, the duo aims to open E11EVEN beach clubs, restaurants, hotels, and gaming businesses.
“E11EVEN is a lifestyle brand that has clothing, a music label, and eventually spirits that will follow. We are known for a first and still one-of-a-kind experience combining many aspects of entertainment under one roof,” said Gino.
E11EVEN has welcomed performances from top artists such as Drake, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Usher, Halsey, G-Eazy, and Ludacris. On any given day, clubbers could easily stumble upon Leo DiCaprio, Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Beiber, or even Derek Jetter, making E11EVEN a true venue for the stars.
“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. Dennis and E11EVEN have changed my life, not to mention my wife, Yvonne, and three children, Gino Jr., Gianna, and Maria,” Gino shared.
