- Title: USA: New York City urban resort, a destination spot for gays
- Date: 2nd March 2012
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MARCH 02, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF THE EXTERIOR OF "THE OUT NYC" HOTEL (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) OWNERS CUTTING RIBBON FOR THE OPENING LOBBY OF HOTEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) IAN REISNER, CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, THE OUT NYC, SAYING: "I grew up in New York City, New York and I came out over 20 years ago. I watched over 15 year
- Embargoed: 17th March 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa, Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA6OY3QK6PP337Y6D003X2NPM2Q
- Story Text: It's another victory for gays - their own exclusive urban resort in the heart of New York City.
But don't worry, heterosexuals are welcome.
"I grew up in New York City, New York and I came out over 20 years ago. I watched over 15 years, the gay community lost so much of what gay life was like in New York. We lost bars and we lost clubs and we lost cafes. And we lost restaurants. And we never even had a gay boutique hotel," said Ian Reisner, co-founder of The OUT NYC.
"So I decided to open a gay-focused, gay-oriented, straight-friendly urban resort right here in the heart of New York on 42nd Street, blocks from Times Square and the gateway to Hells Kitchen."
Reisner said with the legalization of same-sex marriage and the repeal of the defunct military policy, "Don't Ask. Don't Tell", the infrastructure was another way to increase acceptance of gays.
The half-acre complex is comprised of 105 guest rooms, a restaurant, nightclub, three courtyards and a spa facility.
Reisner said exposing hotel windows and glass spa enclosures was a strategic move for the property's architecture.
"The concept was to create much more than a boutique hotel. It was to create an urban resort, a place where you can see and be seen. Many of the rooms face internal courtyards where you can see other rooms," Reisner told Reuters.
"It's meant to be communal for people to meet friends and family and to relax and to chill, and to feel part of a community."
Couples intending to tie-the-knot can have their ceremony and reception at the hotel, a feature that Resiner says will be taken advantage of as early as March.
The hotel had its soft-open on Thursday (March 1). Not all of the guest rooms are finished.
"It's a place where gay couples could kiss or hold hands in the lobby and never feel uncomfortable, but straight people feel comfortable here as well. We've already started to see a big in-flow of straight people into the hotel and into the nightclub and we expect that trend to continue, as we build a place where gays feel welcome, and their straight friends and family and allies as well," Reisner said.
XL Nightclub Cabaret and Lounge is open for business and conveniently attached to the resort.
It's the first gay nightclub to open in New York City in 15 years. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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