By Jane Smith and Christine Davis
Bounce Sporting Club has abandoned its game plan to open in downtown Delray Beach at Atlantic Crossing, where neighbors opposed the late-night crowd the club sought to serve.
The sports bar/nightclub is going into Delray Beach Market instead, four blocks to the west. The market is inside the city’s Entertainment District, where staying open until 2 a.m. on weekends does not require special City Commission approval.
“It is the right move for Bounce that will be able to stay open later,” said Claudia Willis, who lives in the Marina Historic District, south of Atlantic Crossing, where residents were concerned about the potential for late-night noise. “I’m ecstatic for the neighborhood.”
Bounce now plans to open early next year in the market, a food hall at 33 SE Third Ave. owned by Menin Development.
Deputy Vice Mayor Juli Casale said the Bounce attorney visited commissioners individually earlier this year to try to garner votes for the club’s staying open past midnight at Atlantic Crossing. The establishment would have been at the northeast corner of Northeast Seventh and Atlantic avenues, outside of the Entertainment District. When the votes were not there, the Bounce waivers were pulled from the February commission agenda, she said.
Bounce, part of the Brandit Hospitality Group, is a sports bar and nightclub where guests can “bounce” through culinary experiences and live performances. The establishment, with New York and Chicago locations, shows major sporting events, allowing customers to enjoy an upscale experience in a hybrid venue known to attract professional athletes, DJs and socialites.
Residents who live near Atlantic Crossing are breathing sighs of relief that Bounce won’t be their neighbor.
“We did not want it so close to an established neighborhood,” said Jack Indekeu, president of the Palm Trail Homeowners Association to the north. “I personally think the nightclub is more appropriate for South Beach with its late-night party image and not for Delray Beach with its village-by-the-sea image.”
Residents of the Barr Terrace condominiums were equally elated. That building sits across the Intracoastal Waterway to the east of Atlantic Crossing.
“The initial plan of expanding the Entertainment District for Bounce was considered irresponsible and concerning to many,” said Rita Rana, a member of the Barr Terrace’s board.
“Moving Bounce to the Delray Beach Market … may be a win-win for the club and the market owner,” Rana said.
Bounce’s decision comes as the market, which opened in April 2021, is revamping its business model.
“We spoke with Bounce prior to the pandemic about potential locations, but at the time Menin didn’t have any space available for lease, whereas the Delray Beach Market was focused on multiple small vendors rather than larger restaurants,” said Jordana Jarjura, president and general counsel of Menin Development.
“Many of the original tenants were mom-and-pop vendors or first-time operators who had lost their jobs during the pandemic restaurant closures,” she said. “But with food costs soaring as well as labor costs and labor availability, it became tough for those operators to be financially viable.”
Coupled with other pandemic problems affecting business — such as fewer downtown customers due to remote working and less foot traffic in general — the market had to pivot, she said.
“The addition of Bounce to the market furthers our desire to house entertainment, food and fun in an oversized community watering hole, while also ensuring the success of a smaller group of vendors,” Jarjura said.
Bounce will cover 5,200 square feet on the north side of the market. At Atlantic Crossing, Bounce would have leased about 4,400 square feet.
To date, three restaurants are signed to open at Atlantic Crossing. The eateries are Le Colonial, The Hampton Social and Ora Cucina & Bar.
“We’re in active discussions with others to find the right fit for the remaining restaurant space,” Don DeVere, of the Edwards Companies, said in an Oct. 24 email. Edwards is building the complex.
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