The OUT Hotel & xl dance bar

  1. The OUT Hotel & xl dance bar

    Photo credit: The Out NYC.

Forging trusting relationships for new LGBT-oriented
hospitality venue

The OUT NYC was the right idea at the right time— a unique opportunity to create quality tourist accommodations tailored for gay and lesbian travelers visiting New York City, combined with an exciting new nightlife venue, the highly popular xl dance bar. Geto & de Milly was retained to secure liquor licenses from the New York State Liquor Authority for this theatre district hotel, its restaurant and the dance bar. We undertook an intensive community outreach and media relations effort to persuade neighboring property owners and tenant associations that THE OUT NYC/xl would be a responsible and welcome neighbor in the Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen community.

Geto & de Milly developed a comprehensive program to address neighbors’ concerns about having a popular dance bar nearby, such as security, crowd control, soundproofing, traffic management and staffing. We focused on the significant benefits of the project, including new local jobs and the renovation of what was a vacant eyesore on West 42nd Street. After negotiating mutually acceptable stipulations between the owners and the Community Board, two positive recommendations were voted on and the liquor licenses approved.
THE OUT — the city’s first gay-oriented hotel—welcomed its first guests in 2012.