“Warp 9” is going full speed ahead for a mid-summer opening.
Funding has been assembled, plans drawn up, and construction is in full tilt for the new night club in the old Royal Theatre on Scott Street.
“I saw the building and it sparked my curiosity. Really the building picked me,” said owner Attila Ambrus, who has moved to town to take on his new business venture.
“I’m shocked and amazed no one did it before me. This building is the reason,” he added. “This was built for people, it was built to accommodate 600. It has the right ceiling height, the right entrance.
“This is about the only thing you could do with this building.”
The new club will aim to cater to all ages with a mixture of dance, rock, country, and various other types of music playing at least three nights a week under high-tech lighting, sound, and decor.
“This community is not large enough to cater to one segment of the population. This is going to be a dance club that will be enjoyed by all,” said Ambrus.
D.J. music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights will be interspersed with other entertainment, including bands, comedians, teen dances, and even ballroom dancing on Sundays and weekdays.
“It’ll be modern, meaning that I’m putting in a state-of-the-art sound system and lights,” Ambrus said. “I want to make sure whoever comes in here feels clean and comfortable.
“My staff is going to be polite and well-dressed.”
Almost all that remains of the old Royal Theatre is the walls as crews work to rebuild the ceiling, floors, wiring, and plumbing throughout the building before redecorating the interior and exterior.
The old theater lobby will be the admission and coat check area leading into the bar, tiered dance area, and stage.
“You couldn’t even afford to build a building of solid concrete anymore. The insurance company looked it over and just to give me a replacement now would cost over $800,000,” Ambrus said.
Ambrus, who has been in the entertainment business most of his life as a band manager out of Vancouver, had noticed the lack of bars here in town during a recent tour.
“I’ve been all over the country and there’s nowhere you can go that would have a population like this and not have two night clubs and five bars.”
Now he is dedicating most of his time with only one band, Blinkie, under his management. Ambrus hopes to relocate it to Fort Frances.
“Fort Frances is dead centre of Canada and the U.S., touring out of Vancouver is not ideal,” he said. “I love snowmobiling and fishing, and I’m looking to pursue some of my interest I haven’t been able to pursue.
“One of the other features I looked at is I’m a pilot and I’d like to get back into that and there’s lots of that here.”
Ambrus also hopes his business will attract visitors from the surrounding area on both sides of the border, which will, in turn, help some local businesses.
He said he plans to hire about 25 employees for the new club.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
