The Nightlife Report for June 3, 2010
…I hunt down the nightlife news so you don’t have to…
Coming Soon
Double Seven
(Eater)
A former pillar of Meatpacking nightlife is set to make its return this season. Can it reclaim its niche from all the other venues that have popped up in its absence?
Play Beautiful
(Urban Daddy)
Whether you are an avid fan of international football or you’re American who only thinks soccer is something that suburban moms drive their kids to, it is time for the World Cup to take over your water cooler conversation. Now you can experience the game at Play Beautiful, a temporary space set up specifically for fans to watch every 2010 World Cup game. The good news is that seats at this TV arena are free. That bad news is that you can’t get it without a reservation…so call now.
Personalities
Richie Rich
(NBC Nitetalk)
A personality from nightlife’s previous era offers lucid thoughts about partying with Madonna, the rise of bottle service and the transformation of Limelight from a club to a shopping mall.
Product Launch
Hennessy Black*
(Reuters)
Hennessy is already the best selling cognac in the world. It’s already constantly mentioned in rap lyrics. It’s already part of a luxury brand conglomerate that includes Moet and Louis Vuitton. Now it’s jumping into the cocktail market with Hennessy Black, a less expensive and lighter tasting alternative to its VSOP and XO brands. Considering how much marketing pull the company already has, I wouldn’t be surprised if Black cocktails started to turn up in several of New York’s cocktail speakeasies.
Government
SLA Keeps Fast Track Licensing
(New York Times)
A few weeks ago, I reported on the success of the recent SLA self certification initiative to process liquor license applications in weeks instead of months. That program was supposed to be temporary, but budget cuts and reduced staff levels in all levels of state governments has prompted the SLA Chairman Dennis Rosen to keep the fast track process in place. This will allow the organization to deal with budget cuts without causing the backlog to build up again. While this is probably not good news to local community boards who were eager to see the plan go, it could be one of the few instances when budget cuts and a week economy actually benefit the nightlife industry.
Have fun.
Gamal
Join us on Facebook Order our new book Seize the Night from Amazon.com
* No. In spite of my last name, I don’t know of any connection between me and the Hennessy family connected to the Hennessy brand. If I did, I wouldn’t have to work for a living. ;)
The Nightlife Report for May 19, 2010
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy
…I hunt down the nightlife news so you don’t have to…
Opening
Glass Bar (Hotel Indigo)
(Urban Daddy)
The rooftop bar in a hotel is a default location for the summer, but on the cold, rainy days we’ve been faced with lately it doesn’t seem like a good place to go. Several bars, including the new Glass bar in the Hotel Indigo are solving this problem by offering a roof to protect your drink from the elements. While some venues go for the retractable roof option, Glass Bar has specific sections covered to protect you from the rain. The roof might not protect you from the chill, but that’s what liquor and the body heat of an attractive crowd is for…
Cienfuegos(Black Book)
New York’s cocktail renaissance continues with a new bar in Alphabet City. This time the operators who brought you gems like Death & Co., Flatiron Lounge and the tequila shrine Mayahuel bring you a speakeasy dedicated to rum. It’s just in time for a summer of coladas…
Government
SLA Rolls Back Emergency License Procedures
(New York Times)
It appears that the crisis in liquor licensing is over. Last year, the New York State Liquor Authority went through a series of upheavals including corruption charges, a change in leadership and a backlog of liquor licenses that numbered in the thousands. Denis Rosen, the new head of the SLA, attempted to solve the backlog problem by creating a streamlined process for licenses that reduced the waiting time from 8 months to 5 weeks. That change in procedure virtually eliminated the back log in a matter of months. Now that the license process is less problematic, the SLA is going back to the normal licensing regime. This move will appease several groups, including local community boards who felt some of their influence eroded by the fast track licensing plan. Hopefully, the SLA will be able to handle the other issues facing it with the same insight and agility it showed in the licensing crisis.
EventsDance Parade (May 22, 2010)
(Societe Perrier)
This Saturday marks the fourth annual New York Dance Parade. The festival is a celebration of all forms of dance, the cultures that shape them, and contributions they make to the diversity of New York City. It is also a grass roots attempt to expose the double standards that nightlife faces, specifically the law that makes it illegal to dance in most New York clubs. The fact that we have a celebration of the different forms of dance that have originated or thrived in New York nightlife (hip hop, vogue, jazz, salsa, etc) is commendable. The fact that New York State doesn’t recognize dance as an art form the way it recognizes music, theater and painting as art is sad. The Dance Parade is an effort to change the way dance is perceived in New York in the same way that New York Nights is an effort to change the way nightlife is perceived in New York. Both causes deserve your support.
Have fun.
G
Join us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterSign up for the Insider NewsletterOrder Seize the Night from Amazon.com
By Gamal Hennessy
The laws that a society adopts are a reflection of the economic, social and moral standards of the time. In theory, as society changes and evolves, so do the laws. Unfortunately there is often a lag between social standards and legal standards. The laws and regulations that apply to nightlife are a prime example of this situation, since many of the modern laws have their roots in Prohibition. One of the most basic sacred cows that needs to be questioned is the so called 200 foot rule because it is often being used to suppress the industry not protect the community.
What is the 200 Foot Rule?
The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) decides who can legally sell alcohol and the circumstances of that sale. The SLA follows a set of laws called the Alcohol Beverage Control Law (ABC). Section 64(d)(8) of the ABC prohibits bars, clubs and lounges from operating within 200 feet of a school, church or other place of worship on the same street.
Why Was the Law Put in Place?
While it might seem like common sense to put some distance between nightlife venues and places of worship, the origin of the law needs to be considered. The 200 foot rule is a product of a very specific period in US history that was by and large anti liquor. Even after the end of Prohibition there was a feeling that children and church going people should not be exposed to the evils of drinking. Creating distance between a church and a bar seemed to serve this purpose.
Why Do We Need This Law Now?
But New York in 2010 is not the same place that it was in 1933. Today, the idea that separating schools and churches from bars somehow protects the moral fiber of classrooms and congregations is laughable. Even if all three establishments were opened at the same time (they generally are not) there is no evidence that church goers would simply skip services and belly up to the bar, or that packs of drunken patrons would descend upon a Sunday school class to cause mayhem and destruction. Even if bars were pure dens of inequity and churches were total bastions of purity (which also isn’t true) there is no reason to believe that separating bars from religious buildings serves the public interest. Even if all the bars and all the churches were separated by 200 miles, good little students and pious church goers could still see the negative effects of drinking on any television channel, any movie screen, all over the internet and in their own homes.
If the 200 foot rule cannot achieve its goal of shielding a vulnerable group from dangerous exposure, then why do we need it? Why are we trying to limit an industry based on the social norms of pre-World War II America? New York nightlife brings business and cultural benefits to the city. A healthy and vibrant nightlife benefits property values, tourism, the economy and the social life of everyone in New York. Why try to hamstring such a vital part of the city?
How is the Law Being Used Now?
There are those that contend that the 200 foot rule is not a defense mechanism for congregations and students. They feel that it is NIMBY weapon to limit the nightlife industry. Case in point; State Senator Daniel Squadron recently had to 200 foot rule modified with a minute technical point. Instead of measuring the 200 feet mentioned in the law from the edge of any school or church, Mr. Squadron pushed to have the 200 feet measurement start at the door of the church. While this is a small modification, the results could be significant when you consider that a door might be 15-20 feet away from the edge of the building, effectively making the 200 foot law into a 180 foot law. This small change might seem trivial until you consider how dense New York City is. Then when you consider how many different types of churches, mosques, synagogues, storefront churches, schools, day care centers and other similar institutions exist in the city, especially in certain neighborhoods, you begin to understand that the change in the law is a noose that could cut off the air to New York’s nightlife industry.
What are the Alternatives to the 200 Foot Rule?
I am not trying to suggest that nightlife venues become as all-pervading in New York as Starbucks, Duane Reade or Chase. I am not endorsing a nightclub on every corner with 24 hour bottle service and music in the streets. I am suggesting that there are methods and solutions to serve the public interest with regards to nightlife that are not based on irrelevant concepts and false morality. Proper zoning by the city can create areas where operators and residents are not constantly at each others throats. Modifications to building codes and thoughtful management of resources can limit the detrimental aspects of nightlife on a community and enhance the positive aspects. Changing the ABC law to reflect what New York is instead of what New York was can improve things for residents, patrons and operators alike. Hiding behind a outdated law might be politically expedient, but it does not serve the public interest.
Please keep in mind that neither the New York Nightlife Association nor operators in general have not endorsed this idea. They have more practical concerns to deal with on a day to day basis and more political intelligence than I do. They don’t want to make their relations with the CBs any worse than it already is. NYN can raise these issues and at least introduce them for debate because we believe that debates on topics like this are useful if they can help revive the business and culture of New York nightlife.
Have fun.
The Nightlife Report for March 30, 2010
Government
SLA wipes out license backlog
(Business Review)
Less than a year ago, the State Liquor Authority was facing a corruption scandal, license applications that were supposed to be reviewed in a month often took 6 months to review and there was a backlog of over 2,000 unprocessed applications languishing in Albany. Now the old regime is out, applications are being reviewed within several weeks and most of the backlog is gone in other parts of the state. While there are still considerable challenges facing Chairman Rosen, including eliminating the backlog that still remains in New York City, overhauling the Prohibition Era licensing laws and updating the technology infrastructure of the agency, this announcement is welcomed news to an industry that is often at odds with state officials.
Opening
Empire Room
(Urban Daddy)
The rise of midtown as a nightlife hub continues with the long awaited opening of an upscale lounge located inside the Empire State Building. Although the location might make it impossible to hide from tourists, one can only hope that the doorman enforces a no fanny pack policy to the best of his ability.
Opinion
The Most Expensive Venues in New York
(Club Planet)
In a recession, an operator has to cater to a very specific clientele if he wants to charge top dollar for his or her hospitality. At the same time, a nightlife native needs to know which places are the most expensive and plan their evenings accordingly. Some will avoid these places, others will flock to them. While any place can break the bank if you order bottle service for everyone, Taryn Haight of Club Planet list these five venues at the top of the price pyramid.
Re-Opening (April 7th)
Mad46
The Roosevelt Hotel throws its hat into the retractable rooftop ring with a midtown lounge that promises to combine signature drinks, gourmet snacks and quality service to create the perfect place to start your night. Look for a full review of this venue in Prince of the City later this month.
Have fun.
G
