Mark Hemphill looking to open a New Club in Five Points?

Shwaz · April 30, 2009, 12:38:55 PM

QuoteEye gouging was apparently drug-related. Muggings happen everywhere

I believe it was a specific attack for personal reasons... over a girlfriend or something.

Lucasjj · April 30, 2009, 01:05:19 PM

They caught the guy that did that, and it was realted to an incident over a woman that started at Starlight. The guy whose eyes were gouged out was found at the foot of my drive way. The cops were knocking at our door at three in the morning to try and get any information, but we had none.

floridaforester · April 30, 2009, 02:32:36 PM

Lucasjj, we must be neighbors. I too was woken at 3am by an officer knocking on our door. We were told it was a hit & run but found out the next day from a reporter friend what the real story was. There was a history behind the eye gouging-personal & drugs. In other words, it was not random. Besides no one would randomly gouge someone's eyes.

On a better note, thanks for the thread. I had heard that someone subleased the Fuel building and was going to take advantage of the space as a live music venue. I know Jack Rabbits has been in its current location forever, but the place is not well suited for live music. The former Fuel building would be great for Jack Rabbits. I'm not saying that's the case, but I would be there all the time if they did. I do agree with others, anything to take up the vacant space would be great- as long as its not another sushi place.

nestliving · April 30, 2009, 04:11:36 PM

5 points needs a live music venue. A place where national bands can be booked and draws crowds from all over the region. Kings of Leon should be playing downtown, not in St.Augustine.

Shwaz · April 30, 2009, 04:45:46 PM

KOL brings way to large of a crowd to play the Fuel venue. Met Park would be a good spot for the show but for some reason hardly anything is held there.

tufsu1 · April 30, 2009, 05:01:54 PM

Quote from: Shwaz on April 30, 2009, 04:45:46 PM
KOL brings way to large of a crowd to play the Fuel venue. Met Park would be a good spot for the show but for some reason hardly anything is held there.

uh...Met Park has been booked for the last few weekends....and is booked for the next few.

Deuce · April 30, 2009, 05:08:32 PM

Jacksonville needs a decent live music venue period, i.e. indie, alternative. KOL could pack them in. I think Black Kids or Bloc Party could do the same.

Shwaz · April 30, 2009, 05:32:00 PM

Quoteuh...Met Park has been booked for the last few weekends....and is booked for the next few.

What the boat show?

Met Park has 5 events (9 days total) of events planned through August. All weekend events.

Should I tally up the St. Augustine Amphitheater for those months? Should we compare the big name act's?

TREE4309 · April 30, 2009, 07:15:50 PM

Agreed on downtown or surrounding area needing another live music venue...Black Kids are from Riverside, yet they're playing at Freebirds at Jax Beach soon. That place isn't all that big, I was just there to see Dinosaur Jr. I miss Milk Bar (the original and it's 618 location), the Voodoo Lounge, Moto Lounge, Thee Imperial, The Pit (the REAL one), etc. etc. Eclipse is starting to have shows, so that might turn into something good too. If I knew anything about running a venue, I'd be all over it myself.

tufsu1 · April 30, 2009, 07:43:03 PM

so there's 3 days of World of Nations, FunkFest, JSO concert, Memorial Day, July 4th....not too bad for a publicly-owned and operated facility....so full that the Jazz Festival had to be moved (which may turn out to be a good move).

Keep in mind that the St. Augustine Ampitheater has no direct competition....Met Park has the Florida Theatre, TU Center, and maybe even the Landing Copurtyard...plus Freebird....how many events do those facilities have?

Coolyfett · April 30, 2009, 08:52:54 PM

QuoteGood luck getting RAP to approve converting a retail store into a nightclub with all that is already on the strip. Frankly, its not needed either. Take Fuel out back shoot the dead horse and revitalize the old Peterson's store with something that has a chance. Do a full renovation of the area and turn it into something that can last, and people will come to it.

Mark's does well because it is upscale, and caters to an upscale crowd. People from the hotels and berkman. Ivy caters to UNF students, mainly because of the owners, (4 UNF grads and 1 silent partner). Both have room for growth, but what would a Mark's in 5 Points cater to? What is 5 points best known for? Eclectic, bring back the Fuel vibe and it will do well. Pull from Springfield and Riverside. Try to get to fancy, listen to the crickets.

Five points in Jacksonville's bohemian area. I hope it stays that way. But it does need more venues, not the Marks/Dive Bar type of venues, that is better for San Marco. Only thing to keep yuppies from taking over is owners understanding their place in that community.

Shwaz · May 01, 2009, 09:35:17 AM

Quoteso there's 3 days of World of Nations, FunkFest, JSO concert, Memorial Day, July 4th....not too bad for a publicly-owned and operated facility....so full that the Jazz Festival had to be moved (which may turn out to be a good move).

Keep in mind that the St. Augustine Ampitheater has no direct competition....Met Park has the Florida Theatre, TU Center, and maybe even the Landing Copurtyard...plus Freebird....how many events do those facilities have?

You can't be serious... 9 days over the next 120 days this venue is active and that's "not too bad".

Leanne Rimes is the biggest act (of the 5 total) and that because there wasn't a county fair in Texas that weekend.

The St. Augustine amphitheater competes with all the places you listed Jacksonville and they have everyone from James Taylor to Judas Priest booked for the month of May.

cline · May 01, 2009, 09:49:23 AM

QuoteThe St. Augustine amphitheater competes with all the places you listed Jacksonville and they have everyone from James Taylor to Judas Priest booked for the month of May.

I think the reason the St. Aug Amp. is so successful is because 1. the person who runs it really knows what they are doing and 2. it is a great venue to see an outdoor show. Much better venue than MetPark in my opinon.

tufsu1 · May 01, 2009, 10:52:56 AM

Quote from: Shwaz on May 01, 2009, 09:35:17 AM
Quoteso there's 3 days of World of Nations, FunkFest, JSO concert, Memorial Day, July 4th....not too bad for a publicly-owned and operated facility....so full that the Jazz Festival had to be moved (which may turn out to be a good move).

Keep in mind that the St. Augustine Ampitheater has no direct competition....Met Park has the Florida Theatre, TU Center, and maybe even the Landing Copurtyard...plus Freebird....how many events do those facilities have?

You can't be serious... 9 days over the next 120 days this venue is active and that's "not too bad".

please answer the question about the # of events scheduled at other nearby venues in Jax....and I forgot to include the arena on my original list

Then keep in mind that any gains made by Met Park are likely offset by losses at those venues.

So how do the venues in downtown Jax stack up against St. Augustine Ampitheather?

Shwaz · May 01, 2009, 11:21:41 AM

You can add up all the events from St Augustine to Fernandina it doesn't change the fact that MET PARK IS UNDER UTILIZED.

The St. Augustine Amphitheater competes with the Jax Arena, Times Union Center, Free Bird etc. and has more big name act's booked over the next month than all of Jax combined. Check pollstar.

Here's your downtown schedule (May) via Pollstar

Taylor Wift - Arena
Christopher Guest - FL Theater
Leanne Rimes - Met Park
Cirque du Soleil - Arena
Jazz Festival - -Landing?

QuoteSo how do the venues in downtown Jax stack up against St. Augustine Ampitheather?

KOL will be my first concert at the amphitheater so I couldn't compare venues.