PI Update: The Reunion That Never Happened

Following the closure of all the clubs on Pleasure Island in September, 2008, the Island became an unanticipated ghost town with a long stretch of nothing in the area where the clubs used to exist. At night, it became eerie. Management came up with two ideas in early 2009 to remedy the situation.  One was the Celebrate Tonight show which we described last week in this article. The other idea was to allow private parties to rent Motion, Soundstage Club or Adventurers Club for private events. The idea here was that events would bring people and activity in the otherwise empty buildings, liven things up and bring in revenue from places no longer making any. Mannequins was apparently not an option but I approached Disney Catering & Events about doing a Mannequins Reunion in Soundstage Club instead! With a capacity of 300, it could work.

Disney's club rental prices ($1000 for 3 hours) and food and beverage minimums ($5325 plus gratuity) plus a DJ fee ($3000) were outrageously priced so I submitted a very reasonable financial counteroffer that would have allowed Disney to make a profit  and for me to breakeven.  I even submitted the above proposed event flyer as a sample. And if the Reunion was successful, I was willing to contract for monthly Mannequins events at Soundstage that would have brought Disney revenue from a building that was otherwise sitting idle (and looking back now, sat idle for 7 years earning nothing).

My Disney Catering representative Genie Lavery called and told me no; management turned it down. They didn't want any club events. I was told it was for "brand consistency" and to "make it clear that the club (Mannequins) had not reopened. When she could not answer my further questions, I asked to speak to the head of the department.  Shortly thereafter then director Barry Jacobson called me from OIA where he was waiting for a flight.  He went on to say, "We reserve the right to say no to any event."  He couldn't tell me why they were allowing a Gay Days club event in club Motion that June but was turning me down. "I'm sorry," he said, "I can't speak to those but this is one event we're saying no to." And so there was no Mannequins Reunion that year or any year but don't give up hope. All of the Mannequins former DJ's want to do one and the Blog will make it happen!