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Sneak peek at Club Paris by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Dec 10, 2004
With three weeks left to grand opening, Club Paris still
needs to add a bit more pink to her cheeks before transforming
the Orchid Garden ballroom into the high-profile club we would
expect from its namesake. It also needs a floor to be poured,
lights to be put in and pictures of Paris Hilton to be hung.
Owner/partner Fred Khalilian was confident everything was
on schedule when he recently took me for a tour of what will
be the two-story club that is slated to open on Dec. 30 to
an invite-only crowd. With the exception of the wrought-iron
rafters being repainted shiny silver, it still looked a lot
like the ballroom to me.
Scratching my head with memories of Church Street Station
past, Khalilian painted a picture of what is ahead for the
mostly-abandoned downtown location. And reminded me, Club Paris
isn't exactly on Church Street, but on Garland Avenue.
Hmmm… OK, that uh, will help.
Well, according to Khalilian it will, with the two-way traffic
that runs in front of the club, a rarity in other spots such
as Orange Avenue and Church Street and a location right off
of I-4.
A South Beach courtyard will welcome patrons complete with
futons and Top-40 music spilling from the inside of the club.
The downstairs will have a black-concrete floor with pink and
purple lights flooding the club. And although Khalilian told
me all are welcome to Club Paris -- rich, poor, it doesn't
matter -- there will be fashion police combing the room for
the best dressed to be awarded with a free bar tab for the
evening.
"When you come to Club Paris we want you to look like
you're ready to party," Khalilian said. "We're not
asking you to be thin or ripped or in shape or out of shape,
it doesn't matter what size you are, what color or race you
are, it's all about how you carry yourself and how you present
yourself and how you're dressed."
And although he stressed he doesn't want the snobbery of
a lot of high-profile clubs, I have to wonder if my blue jeans,
black tank top and Doc Martens would scream party enough to
get me through the front door. I guess I'll find out.
But it's really the upstairs of the club that brings that
special VIP feeling to a downtown area that can use a little
TLC. Although, it's $5 for ladies and $10 for men to enter
the downstairs of the club, to get upstairs is not going to
be so easy on your bank account, but not as much as you would
normally pay for other VIP areas around town.
Although, admission for the upstairs hasn't been settled,
Khalilian is firm that it will either be the same or come in
cheaper than other clubs around town, just because it has Paris'
name doesn't mean you're paying an arm and a leg. The club
wants to be extremely competitive in their prices from admission
to drinks.
But that's not all the VIP Club Paris has to offer Orlando;
walk through the doors in the back of the upper level and patrons
will enter what is called "The Bedroom," a separate
part of the club you pay a separate price for by booking it
ahead. Custom-made beds will be spread around the space for,
um, a laid-back feel. With a dance floor in the center, this
spot excited me the most.
Opening night will be Dec. 30 to an invite-only crowd of
what Khalilian described as celebrity A-listers and local business
leaders. No confirmations yet on who will attend but I'll let
you know as soon as I find out. New Year's Eve will mark the
first night Club Paris will be open to the public with general
admission at $250 and VIP marked at $350. To buy tickets or
get more information on the club go to, www.clubparis.net.
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