![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/2659bf0cf3b846a8f5b408392edc4192077129f3-4533x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
Overview
Jon Batiste’s first-ever jazz club transforms a casino floor into an immersive jazz club, blending live performance, Bahamian culture, and dynamic hospitality design.
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/c66a2ce5c288dd0757918dd0bef7a99d3807364e-4533x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/dfa3e4e782f970e40366bcace86d505599802762-2550x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/a653dd0ef807c924e726cfa658b8935787fe7a9f-4533x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/b01b02202456a16fd25c7413d6541cd3cc02e694-9875x5169.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/083d93772d26b09935329eba17fed11b5f9592a9-4533x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/de5fa005dba99c1709bb53e532e01cad8b7e27b5-2550x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
Opportunity
Baha Mar saw an opportunity to trade gaming floor space for cultural energy, creating a nightlife destination rooted in music, place, and discovery.
As experience-led travel raises expectations across luxury hospitality, Baha Mar wanted to make a central piece of its casino more engaging for guests and better aligned with the resort’s cultural ambitions. The partnership with Jon Batiste created a sharper brief: translate the musical kinship between New Orleans and The Bahamas into a destination that feels special to Nassau, while honoring historic Bahamian clubs that once drew local talent and international performers. The venue also needed enough flexibility to shift between intimate sets, peak-night energy, and the casino’s continuous flow.
More about this topic
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/86510f5a56085bf3c5df48570d4756982e29d7a4-4533x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
Why This Matters
01
Culture as Destination
Baha Mar’s vision positions arts and culture as reasons to visit, giving guests a memorable experience that could only belong to this resort and this island.
02
Value From Existing Space
Reclaiming underused casino floor turns existing space into a new hospitality asset, extending the property’s mix of experiences without requiring an entirely new building.
03
Energy at Every Scale
The client needed a venue that feels intimate during live performances, and expands into a high-energy nightlife destination as crowds, programming, and rhythms change.
FPO Quote
Solution
Designed to host “jazz and everything else,” Jon Batiste’s intimate jazz bar at Baha Mar captures the rhythm and vibrancy of Bahamian culture.
What was once a gaming area has been completely transformed; 80% of the slot machines were removed to create an open, luxurious lounge filled with rich textures, curated art, and immersive light installations. Throughout the day, the atmosphere shifts effortlessly. Drapery and lighting transitions allow the space to move from a laid-back daytime venue to an energetic, late-night performance setting. Multi-level seating from tables and banquettes to VIP perches draw intimacy and buzz to every corner. An 11-foot curved LED screen marks the entrance, pulling guests in with dynamic motion and color.
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/396beb7f64d072fc0c368a54b137fd585a429372-2550x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/e54d1fd1314a87d38f02e0e4bb5b78950609f7aa-2550x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/c6fbe324bd4602bed70ea52602d8d3059972a38a-2532x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
Related Content
13K
Square-Foot Venue
275+
Seats Across Tables, Lounges, Banquettes, and VIP Areas
80%
Percent of Gaming Machines Removed to Create the New Venue
Impact
The transformation introduces a new cultural anchor within Baha Mar, expanding its appeal beyond gaming to a more diverse, experience-focused audience.
Blending live music, design, and local identity, the venue encourages guests to linger while unlocking new value from existing space.
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/91613827e39493fa64e2f1bceedd0f65565f7875-4533x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
What Changed Because of This
01
Casino to Culture
Removing 80% of the gaming machines in the project area to make way for the venue gives live music, performance, and hospitality a prominent place within the casino’s core guest experience.
02
Place Made Visible
Materiality, lighting, artwork, and dynamic seating translate Bahamian culture into the architecture, giving the club a distinct identity within the larger resort.
03
Nightlife With Range
Layered seating, swiveling chairs, and drapery let the room shift between intimate performance, social intermission, VIP hospitality, and high-energy late-night programming.
We wanted to make every part of the room feel like part of the stage.
Recognition
Condé Nast Traveler
Family Style
LIV Hospitality Design Awards
FAQ
Who Designed Jon Batiste’s Jazz Club at Baha Mar
How large is Jon Batiste’s Jazz Club at Baha Mar?
Where is Jon Batiste's Jazz Club?
How did Gensler transform the existing casino space?
Related Content
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/2783b0caef6e49e945513fbc03327108b28c6d3f-4487x3400.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)
![[NEEDS INPUT: alt text]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/iexz7ctt/development/3b2c1bcfa0000f4223162a8886ee95bda33c4c0b-6120x4096.jpg?w=3840&q=75&auto=format&fit=max)