The legendary Rainbow Room in New York remains in a state of limbo.
The Rainbow Room first opened on October 3, 1934 on the 65th floor of the famous GE building in Manhattan, in Rockefeller Center. It includes a revolving dance floor, a live big band orchestra, exquisite cuisine, spectacular art deco designs, and the most stunning view of the Manhattan skyline anywhere, particular at night.
It was the ultimate elite supper club. The most famous people in the world often dined and danced there. Since the art deco era, the best known Hollwood celebrities made stops at the Rainbow Room, to "see and be seen". If you’re interested, check out the Wikipedia article about the Room.
So why do we care here at Skere9? Because of Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Palms Orchestra, and Chou Chou, who were the premiere performers there on the hottest night of the year: New Year’s Eve, when tickets ran for $1,000 to $1,600 each, including caviar, truffles, champagne, and the "world’s best band", as Forbes magazine once called Doc and His Imperial Palms Orchestra. Doc presents the ultimate entertainment experience, and the world’s most famous people knew that well and insisted he be their choice on New Year’s Eve.
But during the economic chaos of 2008, the operators of the Rainbow Room got involved in a legal dispute with the landlords, reportedly started by a huge rent increase – one report put the revised annual rent at $8.7 million. A series of events have shut down the Room, with reports of remodeling and a planned reopening.
But after a few years now, the Room appears to be stuck in a state of limbo. Once in a while we hear a murmur that appears to be progress. But then – nothing.
The New York Landmarks Commission named the Rainbow Room a "New York City landmark" in October 2012. But that doesn’t get it any close to opening.
The Rainbow Room’s website offers no clues.
But we’ll keep an eye on it.
In the meantime, New York’s loss is Washington’s gain. Doc and Chou Chou can now be found performing at local unique venues, like the Bethesda Jazz and Blues Supper Club, and the Carlyle Club.