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Paris' club -- lots of pink and buzz
 Dec
2, 2004
A fashion-police force that offers free bar tabs for boffo
duds. King-size beds for patrons looking to relax. Big-name
celebs. And a signature hot-pink Ferrari.
It's all slated to be part of the opening of Paris Hilton's
first nightclub, an invitation-only event in downtown Orlando
on Dec. 30.
"It's going to be the most beautiful nightclub you've
ever seen," Hilton's local partner, Fred Khalilian, said
in typical understatement as he walked through the Church Street
space Wednesday morning. "We're already in for $2.6 million."
Still, Khalilian has only 28 days to finish transforming
an 18,000-square-foot construction zone into the pink, purple
and silver hot spot that he says will welcome Hilton and her
sister, Nicky, along with stars like Usher, Sylvester Stallone
and Denzel Washington who have been invited.
But will such stars really show? Orlando, after all, isn't
widely known for its after-hours action.
To that, Khalilian points to photos of himself and Hilton
with such A-listers and says that the club-hopping hotel heiress's
first foray into the bar business has generated national buzz.
And he has press clippings to back him up. News of the Orlando
club has been carried in hundreds of papers nationwide and
from England to Australia.
The local opening was originally slated for New Year's Eve.
And that is still the club's general opening, when the public
can buy tickets for $250. Added amenities such as a VIP table
can tack on up to $2,000.
But since the club's namesake can't stay in Orlando all night
on the 31st (she has a TV gig at the Versace mansion in South
Florida, Khalilian reports), they decided to launch the club
an evening early with an all-VIP affair.
Invitees will be the first to see the light and sound extravaganza
that South Florida sound and audio designer Joey Madonia says
will make every night "feel like a concert."
As proof, Madonia pointed to the 38 robotic lights hanging
from the ceilings, a dozen 48-inch plasma TVs, a 20-foot-by-14-foot
giant screen, several 1,000-watt strobes and 80,000 watts worth
of sound.
The old woodwork and molding of the former Orchid Garden
nightspot is either out, going out or slated to be covered.
Coming in are pink and purple bartops, pink carpet, marble
flooring, tons of mirrors and shiny silver staircases.
One of those staircases will take customers to the entrance
of Hilton's private VIP room, where six extra-king-size beds
will form a circle beneath the building's original glass ceiling.
Those who can't get into Hilton's private quarters can snag
one of the many beds sitting in an outdoor courtyard near the
club's entrance on Garland Avenue. That's also where the fashion
police are slated to patrol, handing out bar tabs to the truly
top-notch fashion plates.
And everyone who enters the club will pass by the hot pink
Ferarri that Khalilian is having custom-made to unveil for
Hilton on opening night.
Khalilian said he's also hoping to give Hilton a key to the
city that night, though Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said nothing
has been promised. (Images of her revealing home videos may
be dancing in Hizzoner's head.) But Dyer is enthusiastic about
anything that will jazz up a downtown he promised to invigorate.
Still, with circular saws buzzing, hammers pounding and sawdust
covering the floors, opening night seems like a long four weeks
away. "Don't worry," Khalilian said as he rapidly
shimmied down a rooftop ladder to check on the recently installed
air-conditioning units. "I move fast."
For more info or tickets, check out clubparis.net.
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