TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Canada - Toronto & Southern Ont.
-- AGCO appeals its OWN decision on Circa Licence
Pages (8): [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 »
AGCO appeals its OWN decision on Circa Licence
This is how ridiculous this city has become. Now the AGCO is actually appealing its OWN decision based on giving Circa a licence. My guess is that the city stepped in and "influenced" them to think otherwise. I guess Circa just doesn't fit the condo critria? This is beyond sad.
If i were a judge id hold the AGCO in contempt. If they are appealing their own decision then obviously they arent fit to be making these decisions in the first place by THEIR OWN ADMISSION!
| quote: |
| Circa owner going around in circles Super club still closed as liquor authority appeals licensing decision, putting Circa's future in limbo Aug 12, 2007 04:30 AM Raju Mudhar Entertainment Reporter The party was finally supposed to be on. Circa, the super club in the former Playdium/Lucid space on John St., finally received approval of its liquor licence on July 31. Bookers, party planners and promoters started calling and showing up unannounced to begin scheduling events at the cavernous, still-unfinished space. Eight days after the positive ruling, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) informed former New York club king Peter Gatien that its staff have decided to appeal its own decision and is going to the Divisional Court for a stay of proceedings, effectively putting the club's licence in limbo until the motion is heard, which might come as early as next week. "Where's this leave us? Quite frankly, we are continuing as normal. It's business as usual. Our mandate is to open up on Sept. 7 and we are not going to be distracted internally by this. We've signed a contract (for a Film Festival party). That date has to happen," says Gatien in the makeshift offices up on Circa's fourth storey. It's been two years since Gatien announced that he was building a club that would tower over his previous achievements. Since then, it's been a torturous and twisted tale worthy of a soap opera. After his licence hearing last month, the two board members issued a 26-page ruling unequivocally supporting Gatien, at one point praising him as "well known for his business acumen, and a person who appears determined to make a new beginning. The board considers him ... committed to running a business in accordance with the law." That was then. Now the AGCO staff, which investigates licensees, has decided to appeal the board's decision. "It's not whether we're happy or unhappy (with the board's decision)," says Richard Kulis, general counsel for the AGCO. "It's just that there are some concerns with the legal issue of how the board interpreted past conduct and public interest." The public interest concerns the ongoing controversy about Toronto's Entertainment district. Some residents feel that the area has too many clubs. But Gatien's lawyer Jerry Levitan says only one resident testified against the licence. In any case, he says that's not the AGCO's concern. "It's a live issue in the city of Toronto, but the reality is that the city of Toronto created or facilitated the creation of this area," says Levitan, who is known for specializing in liquor licensing cases. Gatien goes further: "This is the Entertainment district. Are we getting to a point where we're deciding who gets to go into what neighbourhood? If you say no to clubs, what about the others? So then no new business should open in this area, including the Film Festival people, restaurants, hotels." Levitan adds that in their defence, they provided many letters of support for clubs, from organizations like the ROM, the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art and many other cultural leaders. He also adds that he's never seen a case where the AGCO has appealed its own decision. Circa has already dealt with unusual circumstances to get to this point, taking 11 months to get to a liquor licence hearing, a process that he says usually takes only five to seven weeks. Gatien's past has seemingly been a factor. In the mid-'90s, the Cornwall-born entrepreneur raised the ire of New York authorities that believed he was selling drugs in his clubs. After a two-year investigation and five-week trial, Gatien was acquitted of drug trafficking. He was found guilty of tax evasion. He was fined $1.9 million and spent 60 days in jail but continued to run his clubs. Also, as promoter, Gatien hired Michael Alig, who was convicted of killing Angel Melendez in what was known as New York's Club Kid murder, fictionalized in the 2003 film Party Monster. Alig was deported to Canada in 2003. Circa is his return to the entertainment business, and his vision for the club is much more than a regular nightclub, a mixture of art gallery, exhibition and event space that he hopes will help revitalize the area. Much of Gatien's past was brought up during the licensing hearings � with the registrar even bringing up the drug enforcement agent who investigated Gatien. But in the decision, the board basically said these past incidents were not grounds for denying the licence. "Whoever is fearing that we will be a negative influence in Toronto has not done their homework, or has got something personal against me. I can't figure out what the problem is ... What's wrong with me? I'm an experienced operator ... I've got a lot on the line. I've got my life, my reputations, whatever dollars I've accumulated, my partner Ari Kulidjian, it's the same. Mortgaged houses, everything, the whole bit. "I'm not the first person who has been given a licence that has an uglier or more serious criminal record... I know I'd bet on me." The question ahead of him right now is whether the Divisional Court will or not. |
thats ghey
wow, this is complete BS.
What if they already booked nights.. and the license now gets reversed... can they sue for the money they lost or whatever??
honestly, opening up a club in the middle of the club district especially in a cursed place like lucid is/was his biggest mistake, he could have gotten that stupid license 2 years ago if he opened up a club in a different location
If this appeal goes through, I smell a big law suit.
fucking amateur hour.
what a joke.
!!!! I havnt read much onto the whole CIRCA thing, but i hope it all goes through because this article taught me two things!!!!
1. opening sept 7th?!?! WTF?! well it says something about an movie/art thingy so maybe its not a club night...but if it was open to the public id go just to see the space
and two.
Michael Alig is a promoter!!! THATS SOOO SICK!!! Watched Party Monster in february and it instantly became a top fav of mine and began wikipediing everything i could about it all! soo intriging and so 90s 
! I can imagine some wild and crazy posters floating around for CIRCA!!! uhh cant wait!..*cross fingers for legal situation to clear*
..could it be existing power club mogals pressuring the guy to not open circa because he will take business? i duno..i ahvnt followed n e thing nor know anything about politics and all but thats waht comes to mind..
hahaha maybe this club will open in time for my grandchildren to enjoy it
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Irishaddict hahaha maybe this club will open in time for my grandchildren to enjoy it |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by kotsy that depends. are your grandchildren gonna be partying into their senior years? |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by SWFT !!!! I havnt read much onto the whole CIRCA thing, but i hope it all goes through because this article taught me two things!!!! 1. opening sept 7th?!?! WTF?! well it says something about an movie/art thingy so maybe its not a club night...but if it was open to the public id go just to see the space and two. Michael Alig is a promoter!!! THATS SOOO SICK!!! Watched Party Monster in february and it instantly became a top fav of mine and began wikipediing everything i could about it all! soo intriging and so 90s ! I can imagine some wild and crazy posters floating around for CIRCA!!! uhh cant wait!..*cross fingers for legal situation to clear*..could it be existing power club mogals pressuring the guy to not open circa because he will take business? i duno..i ahvnt followed n e thing nor know anything about politics and all but thats waht comes to mind.. |
| quote: |
| The public interest concerns the ongoing controversy about Toronto's Entertainment district. Some residents feel that the area has too many clubs. But Gatien's lawyer Jerry Levitan says only one resident testified against the licence. |
The ACGO couldn't organize a one man rush to the shit house. There at some point has to be an investigation into these 'boards' and the manor in which they are operated. Our tax dollars are being sucked into ass backward proceedings like this. This type of behavior is not limited to the ACGO, but is also prevalent in the OMB (ontario municipal board) and virtually every other level of government. If you want to discover new revenues, look not towards new taxation - but the dog and pony show that is many of these boards.
I 100% agree this total bs.... i was kind of looking forward to this place opening its doors.
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to how much money these geniuses make?
its time for the clubbing public to realize they are not wanted in the downtown area.....its time to move on....there are a lot of areas outside the downtown district that would love to have an active nightlife and the revenue it would produce...although condos = bling bling.
The article says that Alig was deported to Canada, when quite obviously they should mean Gatien.
Gatien's still getting hounded for being associated with someone who didn't want to pay for his drugs.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by RumRunner someone who didn't want to pay for his drugs. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by -=ryancoke=- a one man rush to the shit house. |
I thought you were done on TA, Jay
they make lotttssa Money! -->
http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/pu...07/crown07.html
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Dr. DAS Anyone want to hazard a guess as to how much money these geniuses make? |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by SWFT Michael Alig is a promoter!!! THATS SOOO SICK!!! Watched Party Monster in february and it instantly became a top fav of mine and began wikipediing everything i could about it all! soo intriging and so 90s ! I can imagine some wild and crazy posters floating around for CIRCA!!! uhh cant wait!..*cross fingers for legal situation to clear* |
Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.