![]() It closed due to an increase of the monthly rent by the landlord of its physical location. I would like to mention in this statement that our legendary club Goodtimes was not closed due to any form of discrimination. I am very grateful to the general public for all the support given to us every weekend and I can assure you that I will fight to continue our tradition in gay Vegas. I am extremely saddened to know that all those beautiful moments are gone forever now that the doors have closed. The bartenders, DJ’s, drag queens and dancers became important part of my life, since they were a great support in my time at this wonderful club. Many thanks to our manager Diana Pontrelli who worked so hard and struggled to sustain the nightclub until the last moment, making it a vital part of the Latino community. In this legendary gay nightclub, the Latinx community has enjoyed very memorable moments and I know we will all miss it greatly. “It is with great sadness that I say goodbye to Goodtimes nightclub, where for 6 years I worked being part of the show and developing myself professionally. The following message was released by Barbara De La O, a Goodtimes entertainer and actress: 17, 2010.Īfter nearly 30 years, Goodtimes closed on Thursday, Dec. #1, Las Vegas, NV 89119 had once shared its shopping center with the Liberace Museum, which closed its doors on Oct. The venue located at 1775 E Tropicana Ave. ![]() Escape Lounge became The Phoenix Bar & Lounge and Goodtimes would continue to operate under new ownership, while still using the Goodtimes brand.Īs of late, the 4,500-square-foot venue had been home to Las Vegas’ premier Latin night every Saturday and had seen major renovations by its new owners. It would reinvent LGBT nightlife in Las Vegas and quickly became an LGBT local Las Vegas tradition.Įscape Lounge was also owned by Jeff and it too would become an LGBT venue.Īfter a long run and great success, the businesses were eventually sold. One legacy Don and Richard left the club with was Monday night’s liquor bust. Goodtimes then transferred back to its original owner, Jeff, by default and from 1997 to 2013 Marty would work again as a bartender at Goodtimes after briefly having bartended for Don in the late ‘80s. Don would hire Mark as Goodtimes’ very first DJ, though the gig was short lived – Mark recalls having no choice but to call Metro, who temporarily shut down the club, after several failed attempts at getting his hijacked equipment back from one of Don’s friends who assumed the position.ĭuring the summer of 1988, a fire at Gipsy nightclub would make Goodtimes the new interim hotspot for dancing.Īfter Richard fell ill and passed away, Don died in an apparent suicide. Jeff had been operating the venue as a straight bar. Goodtimes as the beloved gay bar we knew it as was originally owned and operated by life partners Richard Acamo and Don DeFore, who bought the space from Jeff Kesar. Upon our request, DJ Mark MacDonald and bartender Marty Klein agreed to take us back to Tropicana Avenue and Spencer Street in 1987, when a bar named Looney’s would close its doors and in its place the iconic LGBT venue Goodtimes would rise.
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