You won’t find a lot of Carvel ice cream cake at a billionaire’s birthday party. Heck, Jay-Z and Beyonce dropped $200,000 on their daughter Blue Ivy’s first birthday party, which is about $199,990 more than most people spend. Ronald Perelman likes to celebrate his on a 188-foot yacht in the warm waters of St. Barts, often flying in famous folks like Barry Manilow to sing him happy birthday. Retail tycoon Philip Green once surprised 100 of his friends with a last-minute trip to the Maldives for his 55th. And that’s nothing compared to Jho Low, the controversial Malaysian billionaire who turned his 31st birthday into the biggest bash Las Vegas had ever seen, even though no one was quite sure who he was. An arms dealer? A political power player? In the end, it didn’t matter. He was rich.
The unassuming businessman built what looked like an aircraft hangar on a vacant plot of land and then filled it up with some of the world’s biggest stars. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kanye West, and Kim Kardashian were there, along with a Ferris wheel, carousel, circus trampoline, and cigar lounge. Jamie Foxx hosted, with performances from Britney Spears, Q-Tip, and Chris Brown. To end the night, a giant fireworks show exploded over the Nevada desert. Robin Leach, the renowned connoisseur of the rich and famous, recalled of the evening, “We’re used to extravagant parties in Las Vegas, but this was the ultimate party. I’ve never been to one like it.”