- High-end social clubs are opening in the Hamptons one after another, and locals are not happy.
- Traditionally a quiet haven for the wealthy, club nightlife is now encroaching on the area.
- Hamptons residents don't want their neighborhood to become a party hotspot.
Located just two hours east of Manhattan, the Hamptons is a beach resort destination for the ultra-rich, where billionaires and celebrities from Martha Stewart to Beyonce come to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
At least that's how it used to be.
Long Island residents are frustrated by the recent spate of high-end social clubs popping up in the heart of the island's wealthy neighborhoods, with their long lines, dress codes and loud music.
Take Blue Mar Restaurant, for example: This Southampton establishment was recently transformed into an Italian restaurant and nightclub by Kaiki Coneal, who has run several popular venues in New York City.
Coneille told The Hollywood Reporter that the restaurant's club will be inclusive, catering to “every clientele, from 25-year-olds to people who can walk.”
But another club further back will be more selective.
“We choose the clientele for the lounge,” Conille told the outlet. “The doorman chooses it by the way people dress. I don't want people coming to the lounge in the evening in shorts. I want to bring back elegance, an atmosphere where people are excited about dressing up.”
And Conil isn't the only one trying to revolutionize the scene.
According to the article, Scott Sartiano, owner of Zero Bond, an elite Manhattan social club that attracts everyone from Taylor Swift and Elon Musk to Tom Brady and Kim Kardashian, had planned to renovate the historic Hedges Inn in East Hampton into a new club location earlier this year.
Business Insider previously reported that dues for new members of the club will range from $2,700 to $9,000 per year, depending on age.
But Sartiano's plans were forced to change in May after residents attended town meetings and convinced local leaders to enact an 11 p.m. curfew for this season.
This put a dent in his plans for a nightclub, so for now, Sartiano says he plans to use the building as a new home for his New York restaurant, Sartiano's.
Still, some locals don't believe it.
“Mr. Sartiano has decided to water down the proposal significantly and make it simply an Italian restaurant, and if that happens, we'll roll out the red carpet,” East Hampton Village Administrator Marcos Baladron told The Hollywood Reporter. “But if his ultimate goal is to open another Zero Bond, I think the neighbors should be very alarmed.”
The New York Times reported Thursday that town officials have seen no evidence that Sartiano has officially leased the land.
While the future of the Hamptons is uncertain, one thing is clear: the affluent area is suffering a cultural identity crisis, and locals will have to fight to prevent it from becoming a party haven.
“One of the things that's being lost in this world is quiet,” village trustee Carrie Doyle told The New York Times. “People come for peace and quiet, and the irony is that to get it, you have to make a lot of noise. So that's what we've done.”
