Pubdate: Sun, 12 Jan 2003
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2003 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Joseph P. Fried

THE VELVET ROPE MEETS THE U.S. BORDER

The headlines dubbed him "Club King" and "Mega-Club Mogul."

In the 1980's and 90's, Peter Gatien was a leading nightclub owner in 
Manhattan, whose cavernous, high-decibel, high-energy spots drew packs of 
young revelers and stacks of publicity.

The publicity was not always welcome. In 1996, federal prosecutors charged 
that Mr. Gatien had turned two of the clubs, Limelight and the Tunnel, into 
virtual drug supermarkets by authorizing and even financing drug dealing 
and drug use on the premises, in order to increase patronage and 
profitability. Mr. Gatien said any drug activity occurred despite his 
efforts to combat it. A jury acquitted him.

But in 1999 he pleaded guilty to state tax-evasion charges. He served 60 
days in jail and agreed to pay $1.88 million in back taxes and fines.

Community groups and the authorities pressed to have the two clubs closed. 
They said noise and drunken and drugged patrons made Limelight's neighbors 
in Chelsea miserable, and they attributed violent incidents near the Tunnel 
to its patrons.

There were also economic problems, and in 2001 Limelight was sold in 
bankruptcy court to an operator whose club on the site is called called 
Estate. The Tunnel closed.

These days, Mr. Gatien, 50, is balancing between hopeful ups and one big 
down. The upside is twofold, he said last week: working with Spike Lee's 
production company to develop a fictional television series that is set in 
a nightclub, and working separately on a movie script "largely based on my 
life."

The downside is the effort by American immigration authorities to deport 
him to his native Canada. Though he has lived in the United States for 25 
years, Mr. Gatien has never sought American citizenship. The authorities 
say his deportation is required because he is a noncitizen convicted of an 
"aggravated felony" - tax evasion.

His lawyers dispute that his crime was an aggravated felony. One lawyer, 
Benjamin Brafman, said Mr. Gatien was "desperately hopeful" that he would 
not be deported. A hearing is scheduled before an immigration judge tomorrow.

Mr. Gatien said he wanted to remain in the United States because his family 
was rooted here - his wife and three of his four children are American 
citizens - and because "America and New York are the hub of lots of things 
that interest me."

"I'm anxious," he said. "Scared. There are knots in my stomach."

Next Stop, Trade Center.

Yes, You Heard It Right.

The signs on the E trains still say its last stop in Manhattan is the World 
Trade Center. Conductors often announce that you are boarding the "E to the 
World Trade Center." At the terminal, "Chambers WTC" signs remain on some 
platform pillars, though they have been removed from other pillars without 
any replacement signs.

Sixteen months after the trade center disappeared in the terrorist attack, 
are we talking here about an oversight, lethargy or a policy decision in 
favor or the status quo?

"A policy decision," said a spokesman for New York City Transit, which 
operates the subway.

"Until a decision is made on what that site will be, it doesn't behoove us 
to change the name of the destination," the spokesman, Paul Fleuranges, 
said. "For us to decide unilaterally what to call it would not be working 
in partnership" with the agencies planning the redevelopment of the trade 
center site.

About the signs removed from the terminal pillars: "It could have been for 
maintenance or cleaning" and signifies nothing more, he said.
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