17th April 2009

THE sun has set on the Surfers Paradise’s longstanding saloon bar, making way for a new “sophisticated” Shooters.

 

Shooters Lounge Bar and Nightclub has reopened for business under new owners.

 

Hotelier John Hussey, who bought the club with Top of the Mark landlords, Hagop Didizan and Trevor Park, of Hachma International, said the new Shooters would be the “Disney of Surfers Paradise”.

 

The trademark and chattels were sold to the joint-venture group after lengthy negotiations with the administrator, David Stimpson of SV Partners.

 

It is unknown what they paid for it, but Mr Stimpson said unsecured creditors of the company which previously ran it would not receive anything from the sale.

 

Employees owed between $150,000 to $200,000, would be paid in full, he said.

 

The secured creditor, a company linked to the previous owner, Maintain Australia, was owed $1.7 million.

 

In total, the company owed $2.5 million.

 

Since taking over, Mr Hussey and the team have spent about $1 million on a new fit-out.

 

The buy also includes MyBar, below Shooters, and the adjacent sports bar. Both are also undergoing “major renovations”.

 

Shooters’ transformation includes new lighting fixtures, furniture and art work.

 

“It’s mixing the old with the new,” said Mr Hussey, who also owns the Sar Club, upstairs from Shooters.

 

“We wanted to change the old saloon bar image.”

 

Along with the new lighting, stage and CO₂ cannon, which produces and explosion of cold air on the dancefloor, the club will have live entertainment.

 

“This is going to give it a point of difference,” said Mr Hussey.

 

And, he said, the promo girls – the women who made Shooters a landmark spot – are here to stay.

 

“They’ll be back.  There will be some things that stay,” he said.

 

The new owners follow a wave of businesses that hit financial walls running the iconic nightclub.

 

In 2005, Shooters Saloon Bar (Gold Coast) Pty Ltd, directed by George Rigas, Anthony Rigas and Roberto Scarotzzi, went into administration.

 

The club was sold to Maintain in April, 2007 before it moved into administration last year.

 

When asked if he was fearful of the “curse of Shooters”, Mr Hussey said no.

 

“These (financial difficulties) have been problems outside of Shooters,” he said.

 

“It is a very popular club and we want to take it back to the glory days.”

 

He also said there was a fair agreement reached over the rent.

 

Mr Stimpson said the previous owner had found it difficult to keep up with the rent and he had been in negotiations with Hachma International, owned by overseas interests.

 

Mr Stimpson said Maintain Australia failed to stay afloat because of its cost structure, including wages, the purchase price in paid in 2007 and the rent.