The Edison Holds Late Night Party, Raises Questions for City of Tallahassee

The Edison Holds Late Night Party, Raises Questions for City of Tallahassee

Tallahassee Reports has learned that The Edison restaurant held a party this past Friday that was scheduled to last until 2 or 3 am. The Edison website lists hours of operation no later than midnight.

Tallahassee Reports has previously written about the possibility of late nights at the restaurant. That report can be read here.

The City subsidized operation marketed the event using an out of town promoter with the tag line “Dare to Be Different, Dare to Be Sexy” and used phrases such as “Truly for the Sexy” in social media marketing.

Previously, TR was contacted by a number of restaurateurs who were concerned that the Edison would violate their requirement to be a restaurant and eventually turn into a nightclub.

On Saturday, TR received calls from concerned citizens and restaurateurs about the Friday night event which seems to validate previous concerns.

The Event

The event held Friday night was not publicized on The Edison website or any of the restaurant’s social media platforms.

Rather, the event was publicized by a promoter in Atlanta, Georgia. The information about the event was found on a website entitled www.doyousoiree.com.

Research indicates that the event was part of a commencement celebration for FSU and FAMU that took place last week.

TR was told that a practice being adopted by a number of local restaurants is to hire promoters that have extensive social media contacts in the community and can deliver large crowds “on demand.”

The events are financially successful because they focus on the sale of alcohol. TR could find no marketing of the Edison event that mentioned anything about food.

The marketing discovered on social media for the event is listed below.

Click on image to enlarge.

EDparty2

Click on image to enlarge.

soirepromo_edison

 

Questions for City of Tallahassee

The event held Friday raises several questions.

Was the City of Tallahassee aware of this event?

Does the City of Tallahassee, as a partner in this venture, support events like the one held Friday?

If yes, will the City eventually support a liquor licenses for the Edison? The Edison does not currently have a liquor license and per state law, must keep alcohol sales at 49% of total sales.

TR plans on following up with elected officials this week.

20 Responses to "The Edison Holds Late Night Party, Raises Questions for City of Tallahassee"

  1. “Previously, TR was contacted by a number of restaurateurs who were concerned that the Edison would violate their requirement to be a restaurant and eventually turn into a nightclub.”

    Oh really? They were “concerned”? I wonder where the “concern” came from. Must have been out of true worry for the community and definitely not for their bottom line.

    “On Saturday, TR received calls from concerned citizens and restaurateurs about the Friday night event which seems to validate previous concerns.”

    Calls from which citizens? I think I remember reading in US weekly that “sources close to [insert celebrity here] said…”

    “TR was told that a practice being adopted by a number of local restaurants is to hire promoters that have extensive social media contacts in the community and can deliver large crowds ‘on demand.'”

    Who told TR (i.e. Steve Stewart)? Back up your sources.

    “The events are financially successful because they focus on the sale of alcohol. TR could find no marketing of the Edison event that mentioned anything about food.”

    Ridiculous. It’s a restaurant, of course there’s food. The promoter can advertise whatever they want and in this case they chose to focus on the drink specials. People know they serve food.

    I don’t know what Steve Stewart has against Adam Corey or why he chooses to be so petty about the Edison, but this is another example of Tallahassee Reports’ ridiculous “reporting”. Steve, go find something else to complain about. You’ve beaten this dead horse to a pulp.

  2. No one appears interested in taking on these elitist asses……even at the ballot box. You would think some attorney(s)would sue this bunch for 1) overreaching their authority 2) failing to maintain the rules of law 3) discrimination in the process of awarding bids / contracts, much less fraud on many levels. But maybe the joke about attorneys being licensed to steal is not a joke after all.
    Too many city taxpayers don’t vote because they don’t support either candidate. We now have a prime is a prime example of what happens when you don’t vote. I would hope those who say they are going to hold these feckless commissioners and the corrupt riddled – yet headed for a bigger, brighter political future – mayor accountable at the ballot box. In the meantime, do not be surprised at anything else you hear about this dastardly group. The rest of the story has yet to be told.

  3. I don’t understand why everyone is upset about this… politically backed or not it is still a local business, if you own a business (restaurants,stores, etc..) yo would expect the same support…smh its called smart business, college students are this towns bread and butter, the have millions in disposable income, money to burn on anything they want… you would be doing yourself and your business a disservice if you didn’t capitalize on that

  4. The whole Edison Restaurant fiasco was a political deal. I was not troubled by using public money to restore the old power plant building; and make it safe, and handicapped accessible. That much needed to be done however the building was to be used. As it is, the Edison’s prices are not affordable but by the top few percent of Tall. citizens–whereas all citizens pay taxes. I am definitely keeping this in mind–and the way the Cascades amphitheater was approved in the “shade”–when I vote in the next city commission races.

    1. When you let this fiasco affect the way you vote, be sure not to let the county commissioners have a guilt-free ride: (They’re in it up to their necks)

      Pursuant to Section 163.01(7), Florida Statutes the County and the City shall create a Blueprint 2000 Intergovernmental Agency to govern the project management structure for the project planning and construction of the Blueprint 2000 projects. The Board of County Commissioners and the City Commission shall constitute the Blueprint 2000 Intergovernmental Agency.

  5. Not. Shocked.

    I heard that one of his other places, 101 Restuarant I do believe, was charging a cover for folks to get in late nights. Hmmm…just like Edison, you are not a club!

    The Edison was a bad idea from the start. When over half the city population can’t afford the menu prices and stuff like this starts up…it’s time to start looking into the practices of the owner….all of his dealings, especially with the Mayor and former a mayor named Maddox.

    tallydude1946

    1. “When over half the city population can’t afford the menu prices and stuff like this starts up…it’s time to start looking into the practices of the owner”

      So anytime a restaurant opens up with high prices we should start scrutinizing the owner?

  6. Unlike the other restaurants you mention ,the Edison is not in a commercial zone.Its right up against a residential area where this kind of late night/morning night clubbing should not be allowed.The city seems determined to turn the great success of the wonderful Cascades Park into an Edison controversy that could eventually turn the whole project sour in the eyes of many citizens.This is not responsible policy making .It is a failure of accountability on the part of our policy makers.

  7. Recently a local restaurant called El Patron held an event such as this. Years ago the Spartan Restaurant did the same. Each party ended with gunfire and casualties. El Patron says they’ll not do it again and the Spartan was closed as a result of the murders there.

  8. Tallahassee is run like any socialist State. Those in power want the citizenry under their collective thumb (nodding at you, Gym Force), has elected officials that feel they can ignore everybody (Hi, Mayor Andy!), and puff building projects to friends and supporters (Edison, S. Monroe Bridge, sidewalks, etc.).

    Tallahassee, great place to race your children to the socialist mindset. Bah.

    1. Not sure that shouting “socialism” in crowded theaters gets you quite the mileage that it once did. The truth is that the public-private partnership with the Edison, benefiting mostly the 1 or 2%, is emblematic of OUR time and place, what some people call “neoliberalism.” (Hope I’m not hurting your head too much, DavidB.) If you stood outside with a clicker night upon night you certainly WOULDN’T find that a cross-section of Tallahasseans were represented among the clientele. But this certainly is frustrating, and should be curtailed.

      1. When your “public/private” partnership starts benefiting from the support of the public official that backed it, it’s drifting fully into socialism.

        With a dash of elitism, of course…

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