He goes to sleep most days when the rest of The Valley is just starting to wake up. He doesn’t drink himself but he also doesn’t miss a party at Scottsdale’s hottest night club or big event.
For more than 15-years it has been Gem Ray’s business to know everyone and everything happening in the Scottsdale nightlife scene.
As the owner and founder of Scottsdale Nights, Gem is the ultimate lifestyle concierge helping high net worth and corporate clients, athletes, celebrities, nightlife enthusiasts, and those just seeking the ultimate Scottsdale experience. He’s in business with most of the Scottsdale bars and nightlife venues and with 4.5 million people in his database, Gem averages 80 to 100 events per month. From getting VIP access, to private tables, premium bottle services, tickets to coveted sporting events, fine dining reservations, to hotel, transportation and Airbnb services, Gem has made it his business to be the one-stop shop for Scottsdale nightlife.
“95-percent of my business is relationships. I work 7 days a week and go to bed around 3am and wake up by 11am so that I’m available and ready to go so I can service my client’s and all their needs, whatever they may be,” said Gem Ray, owner of Scottsdale Nights.
Over the years, there’s been many crazy and unusual requests, too many to name but it’s not out of the norm for Gem to figure how to make it all happen.
An Old Town Scottsdale resident himself, Gem, who is 48 says his business really took after social media became a mainstay in 2010. Over the years he has created and ran 3 different companies; Scottsdale 7, Scottsdale Nights and Gem Ray Media.
Covid changed things in good way for the Scottsdale Nights owner. He began expanding nationally and even internationally. Today he has 300 contractors working under him in 18 different cities around the globe, including Dubai.
“We expanded far beyond just getting our clients into the hottest restaurants and clubs. Now we broker Airbnb’s, we handle transportation, hotel, and of course all your restaurant, nightlife, concerts and sporting event needs,” he said.
As a result, his revenue has also grown, tripling in the last four years. While he won’t name his celebrity clients, his client base includes MLB, NBA, NFL and the NFL Alumni Association and he proudly still hosts quarterly alumni happy hours and Saturday viewing parties for his native Ohio State Buckeyes at Scottsdale’s Bottled Blonde.
Always a bottled water in hand, Gem says no two days are alike.
“It’s been a fascinating ride these last 15-years watching this great city of Scottsdale and the nightlife industry evolve. I can’t wait to see what the next 15 years look like. One thing is certain the party never stops in the ‘West’s Most Western Town’, and Scottsdale Nights is only getting bigger.”
