Las Vegas raves on for Halloween
October 20th, 2007
Despite his best efforts, AWOL Productions‘ Chad Craig is being forced to relocate Friday’s 10th annual Devil’s Night Halloween-themed rave from Alexis Park Resort to Empire Ballroom.
“Well, our hands are tied,” Craig wrote in an e-mail sent Saturday morning. “Moving … to Empire Ballroom is the logical and safest guarantee we will have a packed event.”
The party—featuring a headlining DJ set by the Crystal Method—was originally going to be an 18-over affair, spread out across Alexis Park’s pool, convention center, bars and more. At Empire Ballroom, however, Devil’s Night will be limited to those 21 and over.
“We are VERY SORRY to the thousands of under 21 who made plans to attend this year,” Craig wrote. “We will try and come up with something in the next few months. These circumstances are completely out of our control and there just was not enough time to find and permit a [sic] 18 and over venue.”
Unlike past events that faced location, permitting and noise pollution dilemmas, the 2007 edition looked as though it would be safely located at Alexis Park, which has been hosting a number of parties and special events lately, including a rooftop and poolside National Coming Out Day festival.
But as seems to be the continuing plague and curse of rave promoters (indeed, of all-ages club promoters as well) in Las Vegas, the Alexis Park location fell through due to a dizzying maze of permitting problems and miscommunication between the promoter, venue and county officials.
Last year’s Devils Night, held at the Fort Cheyenne Casino in North Las Vegas, was shut down by police due to noise complaints. There is no chance of that happening at Empire Ballroom. As well, Craig says the powers-that-be at Empire acquiesced to a list of 49 conditions he requested for successful execution of the event, including keeping the dance floor free of seating, discounting drink prices, reducing valet fees and amending the venue’s sound with AWOL’s own equipment.
“We promise there will be more room and more heart, love and soul being put into this event than anything you are used too [sic] in the day to day club market,” Craig wrote.