THE WORLD FAMOUS VIPER ROOM IN LOS ANGELES, CA SOLD TO HARRY MORTON

The world famous VIPER ROOM on L.A.’s Sunset Strip has been sold to Harry Morton, entrepreneur and founder of Pink Taco Mexican Restaurants. With his new association with the venue and its brand, he now retains majority of ownership.  

“I want to make it real clear that I have no intentions of remaking the brand.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” says Harry Morton. “I plan on maintaining the integrity of the brand while elevating the focus of the music and live entertainment.  I’m looking forward to expanding the brand worldwide, while sticking by the core beliefs I maintain at all my companies: staying true to brand, integrity and identity.”

Morton, who is also the son of legendary Peter Morton, founder of the Hard Rock Cafés and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, brings with him a team with very strong credentials in the live music business.  Arich Berghammer, President of Morton’s companies, boasts over 25 years of related experience.  Prior to joining the Viper Room, Berghammer functioned as National Chief of Staff as well as National Senior Director of Operations for The House of Blues, responsible for the overall profit and loss for ten entertainment venues nationwide.

Berghammer also served as General Manager for the House of Blues, West Hollywood.  During his tenure as General Manager, House of Blues West Hollywood was twice awarded by Pollstar as “Best Live Music Venue Operator in the World for 1500 person capacity.”  “Harry and I have both agreed that we will not be making ANY changes that compromise the culture or identity of the Viper Room,” explains Berghammer.

Current plans for the Viper Room include minor cosmetic changes to the current location on Sunset Blvd. and development of the brand to locations across the nation and around the globe.  Expansion plans currently include target cities such as Las Vegas, Miami, Portland, Seattle, New York, London and Tokyo.

About the Viper Room:
Since its stellar opening in 1993, the world-famous Viper Room (also known as Johnny Depp’s joint) has hosted the likes of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Oasis, Queens of The Stone Age, Courtney Love, Elvis Costello, Pete Yorn, Pearl Jam, The Strokes, Weezer, Maroon 5, John Mayer, Iggy Pop and Sheryl Crow, as well as an array of other internationally established artists and the cult favorites of America's underground. This intimate nightclub, situated in the heart of the world famous Sunset Strip, is styled in the fashion of Harlem's great jazz clubs of the 1920's.  On any given day of the year, you’ll find musical talents that are developing and leading the music scene of Los Angeles and the nation.  It has become the premiere destination to discover emerging local talent.  Bands like Shiny Toy Guns, The Vacation, Gram Rabbit, Phantom Planet, Giant Drag, Something For Rockets, The Plebs, Nico Vega, Monsters Are Waiting, The Like, Carina Round, Ringside, Low vs. Diamond, Midnight Movies, The Shore, Katy Perry and Oslo are just a few of the artists who have appeared at the Viper Room early on in their careers.  For information on the venue and upcoming shows, visit www.viperroom.com.  

More about the Viper Room and Harry Morton from the Los Angeles Times’ ‘Soundboard’ column (2/11/08):
http://theguide.latimes.com/blogs/soundboard/2008/02/11/viper-room-sold-to-harry-morton/

L.A. Times Music Blog
Viper Room sold to Harry Morton

February 11, 2008 5:09pm
The Viper Room, the venerable Sunset Strip venue, has been sold. As of Feb. 1, the new majority owner is Pink Taco founder Harry Morton, whose father, Peter, founded the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Harry Morton, who might be best known in pop-culture circles for once dating Lindsay Lohan, plans to keep the Viper Room name, and he hopes to capitalize on the club’s international cachet by opening other Viper Rooms in cities such as Las Vegas and Scottsdale, Ariz. Former owners Blackhawk Capital will retain a minority stake in the new venture.
In addition, several East Coast cities have expressed interest in having their own Viper Rooms, sources say. Arich Berghammer, president of the yet-to-be-named company overseeing the chain of clubs, says that the Viper Room brand “is strong” and that they will not make significant changes at the management level. “It works as it is,” he says, adding that they will only make minor cosmetic changes to the Sunset Strip location.
Morton himself says that his “goal now is to shine up the gem and expand it nationally and internationally.” The Pink Taco owner plans to eventually open up new Viper Rooms in Miami, Portland, Seattle, New York, London and Tokyo.
Since 1993, the Viper Room has hosted big names in the music world, such as Johnny Cash, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Stone Temple Pilots. Despite competition on the Strip from larger clubs such as the Key Club and the House of Blues, the Viper Room, once owned in part by Johnny Depp, has managed to stay relevant by hosting well-attended local music showcases on Monday evenings. It also helps that the occasional big-name star drops in for an impromptu jam session, such as John Mayer did in 2004 with ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons, or Queens of the Stone Age, who have played the club several times over the last few years.
– Charlie Amter

For more information on the VIPER ROOM, contact:
Alexandra Greenberg/MSO
818-380-0400 x223, agreenberg@msopr.com