Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Overpriced NYE parties

I love a good party as much as anyone, but a few New Year’s Eve party promoters are absolutely losing their minds.

We have three parties with triple-digit cover charges. What!?
The first is Cirque du Theatre in the Carolina Theatre. It costs $150 a person and $250 a couple. They have live music, visual artists, grub and top-shelf liquor. I’ll give them credit for the top-shelf liquor, but still.

Rich & Bennett’s New Year’s Eve Bash at Hawthorne’s is charging $60for women and $80 for guys. For VIP access, it’s $100-$125. VIP allows you to enter at 8 p.m., and gets you access to the VIP room with a separate buffet, as well as a private bar with premium liquor.

The other is Groovin’ at the Village at Ballantyne Village. It costs $100 per person and features live music by The Real Hot Sauce and clips from ’70s and ’80s movies. They’ll have free beer and wine, and a cash bar for liquor. Come on! That’s crazy. For $100, liquor should be free.

With the exception of Loft 1523 ($85), most places in Charlotte are charging less than $50 for NYE. I realize Charlotte is growing, but we’re not big enough to charge triple-digits for a New Year’s Eve party. Heck, anything over $50 seems steep to me.
What do you think? Post your replies below.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree, most bars charge a really steep cover on NYE because they know that all the other bars do too and people won't have a choice. Maybe you should put out a request for bars and restaurants to send you and email if they will not be charging a huge cover NYE and you can print it.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I am sure there's a Banker Ken doll or two around town who'd pop for that kind of cash to do the hush-hush...

Um, wait. That could be a problem now, huh?

Anonymous said...

I'm with ya, T! This town isn't big enough to support this kind of greed.

Anonymous said...

It really depends what it includes. I went to a couple nice NYE parties up in Chicago back in the mid 90s and they were $100...10 years ago. In both cases it was open bar and heavy apps. If it's just domestic beer and apps, anything over $50 is steep in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

$60 for women and $80 for guys.

That should be illegal. How can you charge different prices for the same thing based solely on a person's sex? Where are all the feminists on this one who cry "equality" for everything!

Anonymous said...

The market should set the price, not your opinion of what is right or wrong or high or low. If the market for parties at the Carolina Theatre with liquor and music is $150 a man and $250 a couple, then people will pay it, it will be well attended, and everyone will be happy. If it isn't, then people won't pay it, and the promoters will either lower their prices or not have the party at all (if they actually need to get that much to make money on the deal.)

If people want to pay that price to see THe Real Hot Sauce and drink free beer and pay for a cash bar, then they will. If they don't think it's worth it then they won't.

It's E-C-O-N-O-M-I-C-S. The prices should and will be set by the market, not by bloggers for the Observer.

Anonymous said...

I agree people have lost their minds when it comes to charging for NYE events. That's why I have the party at my house--liquor bar in the front, kegerator in the back, pool table and all the friends that really matter. And I don't have to worry about driving home! I'll never pay those prices!

Anonymous said...

I'm with you, Tonya...don't charge me $100 to go to a party and then expect me to shell out more for the booze! But then again, people will vote with their feet!

Anonymous said...

This town isn't big enough for covers on regular nights!!

Why don't you post where there won't be a cover for those of us who are keeping it real!

Anonymous said...

What does the size of the city have to do with what a club or restaurant charges? Each club has a handful of people who frequent them and then there are the NYE "amateurs." If you own a club and believe that your handful of regulars and "suckers" will shell out over $100 for a night at your bar/restaurant, CHEERS! It IS that simple...economics.

Anonymous said...

If like hip hop. Monday Night Mic Fights @ The new Graduate in Plaza Midwood on Central and The Plaza will be having a $5 blowout. You heard me $5. with a $5 all you can drink draft beer special. $10 and you get DJ's Rappers and Drunk!!!

New Years Eve Done Right. Big Party, Little Money!!!