A shock apology from the Big Apple’s departing nightlife czar to Peter Gatien – the city’s infamous “King of Clubs” – got here as an “sudden” shock that left some shaking their heads after he was deported 20 years in the past, Aspect Dish has realized.
Ariel Palitz toasted Gatien, now 70, at a nightlife summit in Manhattan and lamented the uncooked deal that compelled the eye-patch sporting membership magnate into exile after he pleaded responsible to tax evasion in 1999.
“When the hammer got here crashing down, Peter had 4 of the most important golf equipment ever,” Palitz advised Aspect Dish. “We acknowledged that it was so unfair and extreme, since he was acquitted of what he had been accused of and deported after paying restitution and it ruined his life and popularity. We acknowledge it was an injustice.”
Palitz’s contrition got here regardless of Gatien’s golf equipment incomes a popularity as crime- and drug-ridden dens of sin – the place the scene was described as “Caligula with music.”
The lawlessness hit all-time low in 1996 when “Membership Child” Michael Alig, who labored for Gatien on the Limelight, and Robert “Freeze” Riggs beat to death and dismembered Angel Melendez, a small-time drug seller whom Alig owed cash.
Gatien had dominated town’s nightlife scene all through the Eighties and Nineties as proprietor of 4 of the most important golf equipment – Limelight, Palladium, the Tunnel, and ClubUSA.
His dance palaces supplanted Studio 54 because the epicenters for the bridge-and-tunnel crowd to fulfill the “Brilliant Lights, Huge Metropolis” movers-and-shakers in a nonstop orgy of medicine, dancing and debauchery.
However the music abruptly stopped after then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani went after Gatien as a part of a marketing campaign to cleanse town of the felony habits rampant at his golf equipment on the heels of the brutal homicide by Alig.
By 1998, Gatien had been charged with drug-racketeering and conspiracy after being accused of peddling Ecstasy to clubgoers, a lot of whom had been underage. Gatien was acquitted of these prices, however he couldn’t beat the rap for tax evasion in 1999 and was despatched packing to his native Canada in 2003.
A former employee at one among Gatien’s golf equipment was left flabbergasted by Palitz’s olive department to Gatien on the summit held two weeks – which was attended by membership homeowners and nightlife officers from Washington, DC, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Orlando, Pittsburgh and even Bogota, Colombia.
“Why the hell did she apologize?” the supply advised Aspect Dish. “The golf equipment had been drug dens.”
Gatien, who lorded over the golf equipment in his pirate-like eye patch after shedding his left eye in a childhood accident whereas taking part in stickball, has by no means denied that medicine had been prevalent at his golf equipment.
“There have been medicine on the golf equipment, similar to there have been medicine at Madison Sq. Backyard, however they by no means shut down the Backyard,” he advised Aspect Dish.
Palitz, a former Decrease East Aspect bar proprietor appointed by Mayor Invoice de Blasio 5 years in the past, mentioned she had spoken on the summit as a nightlife neighborhood member and never in an official capability. She not too long ago introduced she is leaving the position.
“Have a look at how far we’ve come for the reason that infamous ‘90s,” Palitz mentioned. “If there had been an workplace of nightlife then, there would have been extra equity. Giuliani thought we had been the enemy of the state.”
Richie Romero, a nightlife veteran and restaurateur who obtained his begin as a 16-year-old social gathering promoter for Gatien within the early Nineties and who spoke on the summit, referred to as Gatien “a pioneer who was unfairly focused” by Giuliani.
He mentioned the racketeering prices made no sense.
“He was earning profits as a membership proprietor, from admission and the bars, not from drug sellers,” Romero mentioned.
Gatien’s 4 golf equipment drew 12,000 to 14,000 individuals on Friday and Saturday nights, Romero mentioned.
Palitz’s “sudden” apology was a welcome gesture, Gatien mentioned.
“It was very nice to listen to. I’m not obsessed about it, however when Giuliani’s identify got here up, there’s some karma there,” he advised Aspect Dish. “Issues have undoubtedly turned. He was undoubtedly the power behind my demise. Town was relentless and principally bankrupted me. After I used to be acquitted of all prices, I believed in my naivete that they’d depart me alone.”
As a substitute, Guiliani “held a press convention promising to close us down,” Gatien mentioned.
After being deported, Gatien opened a membership in Toronto that didn’t final and wrote a guide. He’s now creating a collection along with his daughter, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Gatien.
His daughter mentioned Gatien’s authorized troubles proceed to hang-out her father.
“He wants to use for a particular waiver to enter the US, and has to point out up 4 hours early to the airport — and he can nonetheless be refused entry, as it’s as much as the discretion of the US customs officers,” she mentioned.
Romero has tried to maintain a few of Gatien’s legacy alive. One among his present hotspots consists of the Jue Lan Membership in a part of the previous Limelight house, the place “The Forbidden Room” is devoted to Gatien.
Lining the hallway partitions resulting in the room are social gathering snaps from the membership’s heyday, together with one among Gatien, Donald Trump and publicist John Carmen. Romero even obtained married in Gatien’s former workplace on the Limelight final December.
“Peter has all the time been a legend to me. He created much more than Studio 54,” Romero mentioned. “He created 4 mega golf equipment, and the nightlife expertise that everybody is trying to find at present.”
Romero mentioned Gatien’s ‘genius’ got here from bringing individuals collectively from totally different backgrounds and letting them categorical themselves beneath one roof – lengthy earlier than they may share selfies on social media.
“The golf equipment had been the place music and vogue had been damaged. New York was a melting pot, and folks combined,” Romero mentioned. “The stage was greater than the DJs. New York was king and Peter was ‘King of the Golf equipment.’”
