Pubdate: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2001 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Page A14 Author: Mark Wilson DEATHS WON'T KILL RAVES Ban Could Lead To Worse Tragedies, Say City Officials Banning raves will only drive them underground, with potentially tragic results, say civic officials. Two young people died of drug overdoses at Spooky-6, a massive Halloween rave at the Pacific Coliseum on the weekend. Vancouver licence co-ordinator Guy Gusdal said yesterday that city officials and police will discuss the all-night dance parties, but he indicated there is no move to ban them. Gusdal said the licensing policy is intended to stop illegal raves in unsafe buildings. "These can be potential death traps, with inadequate exits, overloaded and defective electrical wiring and serious overcrowding," he said. "There is a very good chance there will be a huge tragedy, causing significant loss of life." Gusdal conceded the city's policy hasn't elimianted illegal raves, although their number may be reduced. Four were shut down by Vancouver police on the weekend. One drew 200 to the sixth floor of a building which had only one stairwell. Another was held in a building where all exits but one were chained shut. By contrast, the Pacific Coliseum event, attended by 4,600 was staffed by 95 security guards, 15 police officers and eight first-aid attendants. It complied with all safety, health and police requirements. Police spokesman Det. Scott Driemel said another danger posed by illegal raves is that they can be awash with drugs, while security at licensed events is vigilant and any drug-dealing has to be surreptitious. The 17-year-old male and 24-year-old woman who died on the weekend apparently took what they thought was the drug ecstasy, popular at raves. There have been five raves at the PNE since the city approved such events two years ago. This year, city council halted any further raves at the Plaza of Nations after receiving noise complaints. Salim Lakhani, president of Swing Kids Entertainment, organizer of the weekend rave at the PNE, said he wasn't told of the deaths by either PNE security or police. He learned of them when a reporter called him on Monday morning. "We were devastated. Our message to kids is that they are playing with their lives by taking drugs and we urge them not to do it," said Lakhani, 26. "Our company has been going 10 years and we have lots of experience. We never expected to have a death, let alone two." He said his company has paid the PNE $83,000 and, "some bills are still coming in. Our profit will be small or non-existent." Tickets sold for $40 to $80 and the event was a sellout, but the cost overhead was high. Swing Kids brought in 33 DJs, some from Europe and the U.S., and paid $40,000 for lighting and sound equipment. Another $11,000 covered for setting and removing equipment. The company was forced to use PNE security and three per cent of gross revenues had to be turned over to TicketMaster because of an exclusive deal between the reservations agency and the PNE. Lakhani said TicketMaster got about $7,000, although it only sold 400 tickets. Asked if Swing Kids would stage another rave at the Coliseum, Lakhani said: 'There are a number of issues to resolve with the PNE, and TicketMaster is one of them." Driemel said that outlaw motorcycle gangs form the principal distribution network for ecstasy, the drug believed to have caused the PNE deaths. Criminals are attracted by huge profits. It costs eight cents to produce an ecstasy pill that sells for $10, Driemel said. An underground lab can produce drugs with a street value of between $1 million and $2 million every 24 hours, he claimed. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart