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"Fred Khalilian's first encounter with the Jacksonville media wasn't a run-of-the-mill news conference. After dishing boilerpan optimism and a bit of talk about his gift of a half-million dollar sports car to hotel heiress Paris Hilton, the owner of Club Paris exhorted the media not to make fun of or put down the project...
Club Paris' business plan does not end with Jacksonville. Khalilian is betting that other so-called secondary markets, such as Charlotte, N.C., and Knoxville, Tenn., are starved for Hollywood glamour and will flock to whomever provides that outlet. Khalilian says of his plan, "we'll be the Wal-Mart of nightclubs." Company vice president Charles Sifontes, who prefers slightly classier superstores, says Club Paris will be the business's answer to Target...
Once Khalilian unveiled plans for the first club in Orlando, it became clear that in the carnival of media that thrives on reporting the Hilton hotel heiress' every move, Club Paris is about Paris Hilton. The celebutante has built a powerful brand that not only generates fodder for papparazzi rags but television series, movies, books, and most recently, an upcoming music album.
Khalilian decided to attach that brand to his nightclub chain, and as soon as the pair unveiled locations in Las Vegas and Orlando, the publicity monster enveloped the pair.
"Paris is like our model," Khalilian says. "She's a model like Gucci has a model, and Versace has a model. This product could stand on its own two feet with me or without me, with Paris or without Paris."
Hilton isn't doing it for free. In addition to a signing bonus that Khalilian declines to reveal, Hilton gets 20 percent of the company's net profits. Last year, the Orlando location grossed $7 million, most of which was used to cover Khalilian's initial investment...
Khalilian had built his wealth in a less auspicious manner. Khalilian says he hoarded domain names in the early 1990s and says he sold them for a huge profit..."
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/040206/bus_21508758.shtml
Club Paris' business plan does not end with Jacksonville. Khalilian is betting that other so-called secondary markets, such as Charlotte, N.C., and Knoxville, Tenn., are starved for Hollywood glamour and will flock to whomever provides that outlet. Khalilian says of his plan, "we'll be the Wal-Mart of nightclubs." Company vice president Charles Sifontes, who prefers slightly classier superstores, says Club Paris will be the business's answer to Target...
Once Khalilian unveiled plans for the first club in Orlando, it became clear that in the carnival of media that thrives on reporting the Hilton hotel heiress' every move, Club Paris is about Paris Hilton. The celebutante has built a powerful brand that not only generates fodder for papparazzi rags but television series, movies, books, and most recently, an upcoming music album.
Khalilian decided to attach that brand to his nightclub chain, and as soon as the pair unveiled locations in Las Vegas and Orlando, the publicity monster enveloped the pair.
"Paris is like our model," Khalilian says. "She's a model like Gucci has a model, and Versace has a model. This product could stand on its own two feet with me or without me, with Paris or without Paris."
Hilton isn't doing it for free. In addition to a signing bonus that Khalilian declines to reveal, Hilton gets 20 percent of the company's net profits. Last year, the Orlando location grossed $7 million, most of which was used to cover Khalilian's initial investment...
Khalilian had built his wealth in a less auspicious manner. Khalilian says he hoarded domain names in the early 1990s and says he sold them for a huge profit..."
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/040206/bus_21508758.shtml
