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Have Rande Gerber's Bars at the Hard Rock San Diego Closed?

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 207 5th Ave [map], San Diego, CA, United States, 92101
February 9, 2009 at 9:24 AM | by juliana | 8 Comments

According to Page Six, Rande Gerber's two bars inside the Hard Rock San Diego have shuttered because Gerber's bouncers "physically and verbally abused clubgoers." The Sweetwater Saloon and The Moonstone Lounge opened inside the hotel in December 2007 and were considered a pretty big deal for San Diego. Afterall Gerber is a well-known bar impresario who has done several of the nightlife options for W Hotels.

But the hotel management company, Tarsadia Hotels, says that the Gerber Group's security staff were anything but hospitable to guests.

According to a press release sent out by Tarsadia Hotels, which runs the Hard Rock chain, Tarsadia has videotapes showing "extremely brutal physical abuse by Gerber Group security staff against Sweetwater patrons, including choking, blows with fists, knees and objects, and in one case, a patron handcuffed during his beating."

Of course, there are two sides to every story and Rande Gerber insists that the reason his bars have closed inside the hotel is because Tarsadia has been jacking up the rent from $400,000 to $900,000. He then told Page Six the matter will be resolved in court.

As of this morning, the hotel's website still lists the bars as open and there is no mention of either one of them closing. Coincidentally, we have an operative in San Diego right now so we'll update you on what's going on there. In the meantime, if you've got your own Sweetwater or Moonstone experiences to share put 'em in comments below.

8 Comments

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Return to » Have Rande Gerber's Bars at the Hard Rock San Diego Closed?

  1. russ

    HotelChatter Member

    tarsadia

    Tarsadia does not run the Hard Rock "chain". The hard rock brand is owned by Morgans Hotel Group (MHGC) in certain western states and the Seminole Indians in the east. Tarsa
    February 9, 2009 at 10:23 AM
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  1. Snowboarder One

    HotelChatter Member

    Tarsadia

    Sorry, Russ, Tarsadia does manage the Hard Rock San Diego (see their list here: http://www.tarsadia.com/hotels.php).  Regarding Morgans Hotel Group, this is from their website, "In February 2007, MHG and an equity partner acquired the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and related assets."  This is the only Hard Rock they own currently.  
    February 9, 2009 at 11:01 AM
    Parent #Permalink

  1. juliana

    HotelChatter Editor

    empty

    our SD spy told us the lounges were open as of last night but "totally empty."
    February 9, 2009 at 1:02 PM
    #Permalink

  1. KurtL

    HotelChatter Member

    San Diego Boycotts Hard Rock

    I walked by Sweetwater at 11 friday and saturday on my way to Stingaree and it was totally empty. Everyone is boycotting Sweetwater and Moonstone for the shady move the hotel pulled on Gerber and their employees. They were too well liked and San Diego is too small. Those bars will be out of business in 3 months.    
    February 9, 2009 at 2:32 PM
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  1. russ

    HotelChatter Member

    tarsadia

    why are you contradicting me? tarsadia does not run the chain. obviously it runs the san diego property its name is all over the lawsuit.

    as for mhgc when you were writing that did you stop to think what the "related assets" are?

    February 9, 2009 at 5:49 PM
    Parent #Permalink

  1. KurtL

    HotelChatter Member

    Tarsadia is SCREWED

    If having Sweetwater and Moonstone totally empty again this weekend wasnt bad enough for Hard Rock, Tarsadia had to take the names Sweetwater and Moonstone off the Hotel. How embarrassing after they old their new employees they would capitalize on the popular names Gerber created. My friends who owns condos there said the owners are really pissed Tarsadia kicked them out since they were sold on the fact Nobu and Gerber would be in the building. Now they are stuck with empty bars with no names and an empty hotel. He said the value of his condo has dropped less than half. More lawsuits against Tarsadia ??  
    February 17, 2009 at 4:23 PM
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  1. ericacs5

    HotelChatter Member

    Good Riddance!

    Actually those bars have been empty for months! It was even empty on New Years. Gerber has been bad for San Diego with tons of illegal activity going on and many incidents that aren't even noted. The Gerber employees have been escorted off property on numerous occassions for being too drunk to be at work. The security staff has been unquestionably out of line on numerous occassions. They have done more harm than anything else.
    February 20, 2009 at 6:59 PM
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  1. RussKnowsAll

    HotelChatter Member

    Fight For it, Russ Baby.

    Russ...silly silly Russell.

    Actually, the Seminole Tribe owns (licenses and/or franchise agreements) all of the Hard Rock Hotels except the one in Vegas (Morgans).

    On December 7, 2006, Rank sold the Hard Rock business to the Seminole Tribe of Florida for US$965 million. Included in the deal are 124 Hard Rock Cafes, four Hard Rock Hotels, two Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hotels, two Hard Rock Live! concert venues, and stakes in three unbranded hotels. Rank is keeping the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in London, but has changed its name to G Casino Piccadilly. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is also not part of the deal, as it was sold by Peter Morton to Morgans Hotel Group in May 2006.

    February 23, 2009 at 11:54 AM
    #Permalink

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