Cover Story: Nightclub & Bar Magazine

The Waterfront -- A Floating Fantasy

By Ray V. Ford

It's December. Cincinnati entrepreneur Jeff Ruby has got this vision, and he wants to share it with me. We hop in his car, and he takes me over to the Kentucky side of the Ohio River under a railroad bridge, where he stops near an opening in the flood wall. "Come on, I want to show you the best view of Cincinnati on the entire river."

It’s midnight. The snow is a foot deep, and the wind on the river is brisk…wind chill about 5 below zero. I’m from Phoenix. You know I’m numb. Jeff trudges ahead, almost running. Exited, he doesn’t feel a thing. "What do you think? Is this a killer view, or what?" he says. "Yeah, it’s sensational, but…" Jeff interrupts, "This is the last spot on the river, but nobody thought it would ever be available."

I’ve known Jeff Ruby going on ten years. I know when Jeff gets his mind set on a new project... it’s just a matter of time until it happens.

Jeff and I met in 1975. He was an area supervisor for Winegardner & Hammonds, and I was on leave from my company, Bobby McGees, U.S.A. assisting Eric Kamfjord in creating a new concept for the 12^th floor club at the Downtown Holiday Inn in Cincinnati. Together, we converted the room from live to disco and implemented the live DJ, recorded music formula and marketing strategy that had worked so well for me at Bobby McGees.

Jeff’s next success was the Precinct, a five star steak house that he put together with a syndicate of investors. Over the years, we had kept in touch. In 1983, I mentioned to Jeff that I was going to leave McGees, the company I had helped to create, to start my own consulting/training company, Ford Management Services. Jeff became one of my first clients.

By December 1984, I had trained several DJs for the Precinct and some of the management staff. In fact, I was in town following up on a manager who had come to Phoenix for one of my lounge awareness training programs.

Now Jeff had this new vision. By now, Jeff notices that I’m shaking and my talk is mixed with chattering teeth, so we walk back to the car and drive to Skyline for some chili and to warm up.

What followed for me was the opportunity to become a part of the project. As creative consultant, I would become his sounding board, offering input and feedback during each phase of this fabulous project.

One of the first steps was to find a river barge to build on. Jeff virtually searched the entire river system and finally decided on a 20,000 square foot steel petroleum barge based in Greenville, Mississippi. He then had the barge towed to Ludlow, Kentucky, about two miles down river from the site where it would be moored while under construction.

During this time, Jeff and I exchanged ideas on floor plans for the restaurant and the nightclub. He got lots of input from many sources, but it seemed like nothing was coming together. He was not satisfied. The design just wasn’t working.

While in Phoenix on a research trip, I got Jeff together with Beverly Hills designer Dave Stevens at the 26 million dollar Mesa Hilton that Dave has just finished. Dave and I had worked on a number of projects together including the first 5 Bobby McGees, and I knew that Dave could provide the design and feeling for Jeff's vision---tropical art deco with a flavor of Miami & Rio.

Lots of research and development followed. We made trips to Detroit, Chicago, Houston, Cancun, Mexico and even Grand Rapids, Michigan. We decided the facility would be "world class." That was our standard. Jeff kept saying that the days of just opening and being full seven days a week were over, and we had to excel in each area. The challenge was to far exceed guest expectations.

The 300-seat restaurant, Windows On the Water, was to be showcased with a custom designed exhibition kitchen including a La Broche French Rotisserie, one of only seven in the U.S. There would be a New Orleans oyster bar with imported items from all over the world. The adjacent New Orleans piano bar would elegantly accommodate 30, and the focal point would be a white Yamaha baby grand piano. Circling behind the piano bar would be a dramatic brass railed spiral staircase leading up to La Boom, the nightclub with a capacity of 450 guests.

Jeff lived at the site. He personally saw to each detail. If it didn't come together right, he would tear it out and try again. Everything had to be right--world class!

We spent hours developing an employee profile for each position. Job descriptions and task checklists were drafted. Managers were assigned specific staff areas to recruit, interview and hire.

We even decided to hold "casting calls" for cocktail staff. We set up camp at a hotel, asked applicants to learn a dance routine and answer questions from the stage to ensure that we were going to hire the right profile. By taking this creative approach, we created a lot of talk on the street about how special this new place that Jeff was building on the water was going to be.

We hired over 300 "world class" people for the Waterfront. With the staff hired and training underway, the Waterfront was nearing completion. It needed to be moved up river to its permanent mooring, and this opportunity for publicity and press coverage couldn't be passed up. Jeff & I put together a "maiden voyage" event for the media and VIPs of Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky, and about 100 joined us at 8 am for the trip. A world class champagne breakfast was served. Q-102, a local radio station did the morning program remote from the barge describing the event. When we docked two hours later, the whole town knew that the Waterfront had arrived.

The street leading to the Waterfront mooring was renamed "Pete Rose Pier" to acknowledge one of the all star group of investors. Others include Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason and wide receiver Chris Collingsworth.

Lots of media coverage would follow as the whole town got caught up in the Waterfront mystic. And rightfully so when the building was lit, it instantly became the most identifiable landmark on the river.

People love statistics, and we gave them a ton. Dave Stevens used 960 square yards of mirror. Neon wizard Larry Brown from Columbus installed 7,000 feet (50,000 watts) of multicolored neon... one of the largest neon installations in America. The DJ can control every light in the nightclub. The indirect lighting (neon) could be blended to produce pastels such as pink, lavender, red, hot orange and more to completely change the mood in the room.

The ladies restroom and parlor was given its final "world class" touch by Jeff's wife, Rickelle. "We wanted to cater to the ladies in the restroom," Ruby said. "Jokingly, she said we ought to put a bar in there." I said, "That's a great idea"

What followed was perhaps the most outrageous ladies' room in the country. It boasts five personalized makeup stations, an in-house make over person, a plush lounge with courtesy telephones and a ladies VIP bar with a Chippendale male bartender! Amazing---you talk about publicity.

There's a shooter bar, strolling bandelero girls who make shooters at your table, exotic drinks and adjacent to the Tapas bar, the La Boom casino with Las Vegas quality dealers. Play money, but everything else is real! The casino manager, Ron Jacimine, lived and worked in Las Vegas for 20 years. Black jack tournaments are held Sunday through Thursday with high rollers receiving fabulous prizes like trips to the Bahamas and Las Vegas.

I designed a basic sound lighting package that we bid out to installers from as far away as Los Angeles. We eventually went with George Smith and his Smithall Electronics of Cincinnati. George and I put together a computer operated lighting system that is part theatrical and part disco. The $200,000 sound/lighting package was built around a fantastic $23,000 Krypton fixture from Spain, one of only three in the country.

Music programmer Steve Schani and I developed a music format spotlighting dance music from all over the world. Jeff was so impressed with the top DJ in Cancun, Benjamin Solis, that we brought him to Cincinnati to work his magic at La Boom.

Tina Decker, who was in the Broadway show "Cats," was hired to choreograph specialty dance features for us at La Boom. Each night at 10:30, Solis and artist lighting man Brian Hamlin present a five to six minute "overture" highlighting all of the various lighting effects and displays we have designed into the system. Choreographed to specially produced music programs, the overtures often incorporate live skits and end dramatically with the entire room going to black while outside over the river a short burst of star shells and fireworks signal to the town that we're ready for some serious partying.

Everything's an event at the Waterfront. The $3.2 million project opened October 27, 1986 and is annualizing $10 million for Jeff Ruby and his syndicate, exceeding all expectations. Not bad for a kid from New Jersey.

NOTE: The facility generated over $10 million a year in sales for ten years! The June, 1990 issue of Restaurant Hospitality magazine listed The Waterfront among the Top 10 highest grossing restaurants in the US at #8:

Coming next is another barge moored next to the Waterfront with an outdoor deck, bar, steel band and swimming pool called Coconut Joe's. Just right for a summer barbecue or clam bake. It will also house a boat dock with slips for 25 boats.

NOTE: (The Coconut Joe’s barge addition was completed in time for a Spring 1988 opening.)

My advice is to come and see the Waterfront. It's truly one of the most beautiful facilities in America. I'm proud just to have been a part of Jeff Ruby's world-class vision.

Ray Ford was one of the creators of the legendary Bobby McGees restaurant/nightclub chain. With a lifetime of experience, Ray Ford is recognized as an authority on food & beverage operation, marketing & training. Mr. Ford's clients, large & small, have come from over 40 states, Australia, Canada, Mexico, the Virgin islands, the US Military & include the Who's Who of the Hospitality Industry.

Ray was one of the founding members of the Nightclub & Bar Advisory Board that consults for & plans various trade shows including the Las Vegas Nightclub & Bar, Beverage Retailer and Restaurant Marketing Convention & Trade Show, the largest beverage & food show in the world.

We’ve just scratched the surface here. We've helped to create almost 100 food/beverage money machine projects like the Waterfront. I’d like to invite you to read more about "Success Management Systems" by ordering our new book, "Bar/Nightclub Management & Marketing - 101 Ways To Make The Cash Register Ring." It's a  powerful tool for creating traffic & increasing sales using proven marketing, promotions & improved operations techniques.

I’m always ready for a new challenge and the opportunity to be of service. By the way, my motto is:

"MAKE 'EM SWEAT!"

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