Hamptons residents have been criticizing the potential project of a private social club, mostly meant for celebrity or significantly wealthy members, opening a location in the area.
The star-studded, members-only Manhattan club, Zero Bond, is trying to open a new venue at a 1700s inn in the Hampton’s village.
Currently, the Noho club is in talks with the owner of the centuries-old bed & breakfast over leasing the property, but they have not yet reached an agreement, according to Christopher Kelley, a lawyer for the inn.
However, residents have expressed their concerns about the club bringing unwanted late-night noise and traffic to the upper class residential neighborhood.
“This is about greed,” East Hampton Mayor Jerry Larsen told the East Hampton Star. “The owner of the Hedges Inn should be ashamed of himself for trying to push this on the village.”
Various residents agree with Larsen and have also said that the nightlife venue which is known for hosting celebrities will crowd the streets with fans and spectating cars, causing excess noise during later hours.
“Idling Ubers, car doors slamming, dining noise trickling out. Paparazzi will be lurking to catch sight of the Zero Bond members who include Elon Musk, Tom Brady, Sergei Brin (all single billionaires) and Taylor Swift,” the East Hampton Village Civic Coalition wrote on Facebook.
Now, the village is mulling legislation that would prevent the private club from serving food and drinks in “the historic zone’ between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
“This the first step to ensure that we maintain the integrity of our village,” the Civic Coalition added in their post.
Other residents also took to social media to bash Zero Bond for contributing to a class-based, elitist culture in the Hamptons, which already has much economic divide between residential areas and the native population on reservations, such as the Shinnecock Nation.
“Perfect just like the bridge golf course that normal working people can’t afford to join. I can’t wait til we lose our water access. Hopefully we will be able to just stay in our homes and pay our increasing taxes. Lol,” resident Greg Miller wrote on the East Hampton Mouthpiece Facebook group.
Zero Bond owner has said that he also wants to buy the house next door to the Hedges Inn to show “transparent and good faith effort,” as reported by the East Hampton Star.
Mayor Larsen has asserted that the village is ready for a battle and not backing down.
