When it comes to creating a nightlife experience in Las Vegas, the bar is high. So when the first major resort opened on the Strip in more than a decade, the team at Trustfall Production Group had their work cut out for them with the nightclub Zouk at Resorts World.
“Nightclubs are some of the most fun and challenging projects in our industry, so we really had a lot of fun being a part of that project,” said Doug Green, president of Trustfall. “In order to stand out, you have to think of new ways to do things that people have never seen before. So with Zouk, we built elements like a video ceiling over the Capital Bar, automated video pods over the main room and even installed fine pixel pitch in the entryway ceiling that elevates the entrance to stand out in a way no other club here does.”
Trustfall designed and installed all of the interactive large-format LED displays throughout the interior of Resorts World, an assignment befitting the name for a company launched amid a pandemic.
Resorts World is your highest-profile partner, but where else can we see your work, or where else might we be able to in the future?
We are in negotiations with several other prominent Las Vegas properties and well-known businesses to integrate LED video, but we like to let the work do the talking. Besides Resorts World, you can see our work in the MGM Grand at Losers Bar, Icon Park in Orlando, Florida, Titans Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, and several large places of worship across the country, just to name a few.
We also have a live event side of the business where we provide production and support for arena shows, concerts, corporate events and trade shows.
What specific piece of work has the most personal significance to you?
Zouk will always be one of my favorite projects that we’ve done, as my start as an entrepreneur was owning nightclubs and bars. There was so much technical creativity from ceiling automation to managing the volume of video, where the backend support is equally as challenging as the installation itself. I will always enjoy projects that push the creative boundaries and challenge us.
Discuss your work from a historical perspective. These aren’t Grecian statues that will be admired for centuries, and yet it’s still a visual appeal that attracts tourists and helps drive commerce, right?
LED video has become a big part of the Vegas experience, but it’s becoming almost a necessity for anyone who wants to deliver a message in a captivating way. Regardless of whatever the message is, we enjoy working closely with our clients to come up with a truly unique and creative way that may not last centuries, but will definitely stand the test of time.
What is the best business advice you’ve received?
The best advice that I’ve ever been given in business is to hire positions before you need them, rather than when you absolutely need them filled. Giving someone who just started employment a chance to get acclimated to the culture, the SOP’s, etc., is integral to both the success of the company and the employee.
If you could change one thing about Southern Nevada, what would it be?
From a business perspective, what’s not to love about being located in Southern Nevada? We are very lucky to live in a state that is as business-friendly as Nevada. We’re also in arguably the No. 1 location for both divisions of what our organization does, from installing LED video to live events, so there’s really no better location to be based in.
What’s the biggest issue currently facing Southern Nevada?
House prices are rising at an alarming rate and making it very difficult for a lot of locals to afford to live in the areas that they were accustomed to.
Describe your management style. How did you refine your management approach?
I like to give our staff the ability to have autonomy in their work as much as possible. I believe that people take more pride in their work, and put forth more effort when they feel that they get to “own” some part of a project. It also allows our management to know who is naturally a self-starter and who needs to be told what to do.
What is your dream job, outside of your current field? Why?
Architect. I have always had a passion for architecture, which is one of the reasons that I enjoy what we do. We work closely with architects and contractors to find a way to add to the architecture of the space, rather than make it look like an afterthought.
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be and why?
I would live anywhere that had ocean views, because I love being out on the water and deep sea fishing. I’d say that may be the only thing that Southern Nevada is missing, but California is close enough, right?
Whom do you admire and why?
I admire all of the business owners who found a way to survive, and in some cases, thrive, during the difficult and unpredictable COVID times. I especially admire the business owners who found a way to keep their staff employed full time, as I know that many of those business owners had to sacrifice a lot personally to make it happen. In no way am I speaking down on anyone who needed to make layoffs or furloughs, though, because I know those decisions weren’t easy decisions to make. My hat is off to every business owner who had to navigate the unchartered waters that the pandemic created.
This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.