Boom Boom Room's Closure

AN OPEN LETTER TO GAY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND OUR FRIENDS

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

We are truly at the eleventh hour of our 1½ year crusade to SAVE the historic Boom Boom Room and Coast Inn in Laguna Beach.

The property’s owner, Steven Udvar-Hazy and the operators of the Boom Boom Room and the Coast Inn were apparently unable to reach an agreement to keep the bar, restaurant and hotel open past this coming Labor Day Weekend. So it appears that a change will occur in less than 3 weeks time.

We have heard that there are several interested parties in negotiations with the property owner to either buy or lease the 3 parcels that he owns on Coast Highway and Mountain in Laguna Beach but the clock is ticking.

Because of the uncertainty of the immediate future of the Boom, SAVE the BOOM!!! today is writing this open letter to all gay and lesbian leaders in our community who have the ability to help save this gay landmark. We hope that one or more of these leaders will come forward to help preserve over 100 years of gay history in Laguna Beach.

Regardless of the outcome, SAVE the BOOM!!! will continue in its campaign to find a gay buyer or someone who will pledge to keep the Boom as it has been for the last 60 years. We will not rest until our goal is realized.

SAVE the BOOM!!! began its campaign last year and gathered 6,000 signatures last summer in only 3 months. All the signatures were collected from residents and visitors alike in Laguna Beach to preserve this gay icon. We have sought buyers throughout the United Sates and the world and are hopeful that soon our dream will be realized. The property was recently put up for sale or lease, and we are hopeful that someone will come in and turn this property into the finest gay destination resort in the world.

We will continue our quest and are extremely optimistic that we will be successful.

We are currently sponsoring the Men of Laguna Beach Calendar Contest which will be completed within a few weeks, and our 2008 calendar will printed soon. Sales of this first of its kind calendar will go to help our fight, as well as support local Laguna Beach charities. We just reordered our bright yellow SAVE the BOOM!!! T-shirts for our volunteers, and are gearing up with a plan and budget to continue our efforts for as long as it takes to save our landmark bar.

The Gay Community will not be evicted form Laguna Beach. We will use our collective strength and seek out our friends to help SAVE the BOOM – Forever!!!

Thank you very much.

Fred Karger
Founder
SAVE the BOOM!!!
Robert F. Gentry
Co-Chair
SAVE the BOOM!!!

The Honorable Bill Rosendahl
Co-Chair
SAVE the BOOM!!!