Crazybox nightclub casualty of hotel dispute

A trademark dispute has ensured that the cool crowd and the wannabes will both get a closed-door reception at a Honolulu nightclub called Crazybox.

No one is on "the list" since owners of The Modern Honolulu, formerly named the Waikiki Edition, have temporary closed the property’s Ian Schrager-designed nightclub.

The closure of Crazybox is the latest development in a power struggle between hotel owners M Waikiki LLC and Marriott International. M Waikiki, made up of about 75 investors, dismissed Marriott as property manager during a 2 a.m. Sunday takeover of the hotel and appointed Modern Management Services, an affiliate of Aqua Hotels & Resorts, to run the property.

Marriott countered on Wednesday with a court order from a New York judge authorizing them to return to the property; however, M Waikiki filed bankruptcy, effectively thwarting the move. A lawsuit, filed in May by M Waikiki, is still pending. The lawsuit seeks tens of millions of dollars in damages from Schrager and Marriott for alleged poor branding and mismanagement of the property, which is projected to lose $6.4 million in operating revenue this year.

Crazybox was part of the Edition, a brand owned by Marriott and designed by Schrager. Schrager previously owned and operated Manhattan’s famed celebrity hangout Studio 54, and Crazybox had gained a reputation as the closest thing in Waikiki to a Studio 54.

The new managers say they will reopen the nightclub soon under a new name. In the meantime, several scheduled private events will take place at the now-nameless venue.

During the management transition, the hotel also lost its right to serve liquor or provide spa services.

The Honolulu Liquor Commission granted Modern Honolulu a temporary liquor license on Thursday enabling the hotel to keep open its food and beverage outlets including The Lobby Bar, The Bar at Sunrise Pool, The Bar at Private Sunset Beach and the Morimoto Waikiki restaurant.

"The liquor license ensures employees at The Modern Ho­no­lulu can remain on the job," said Ben Rafter of Modern Management Services. "We invite our guests, as well as local residents to join us at our bars and restaurants and experience the luxury lifestyle of The Modern Ho­no­lulu."

However, guests will have to wait longer to use the property’s spa or to visit its on-site nightclub. Modern Honolulu said it would use contractors to provide in-room spa services to guests until a spa license is reissued.