Atlanta Eagle Relocates, Man Dies at Xion Party
The Atlanta Eagle will be closing its current location on Ponce de Leon Ave. later this year and relocating.
Owner Richard Ramey announced that the bar would be closing via Instagram and Facebook live. According to Ramey, the club will have its last night on Saturday, November 14. He accredited the coronavirus for the necessity of the closure.
“The Eagle is financially suffering, just like everyone can imagine,” he said. “Our sales are down about 80 percent. But the good news is the reason our sales are down is because we have such an incredible, smart community that knows we’re in a pandemic and have made the decision to stay safe and stay home, and I respect that decision.”
Ramey iterated that the closure is temporary, and they will be relocating to an undecided location in June of next year should the pandemic be curbed and it’s “safe for us to gather again.”
“We are not going out of business,” Ramey said. “We are not closing permanently. We’re going to come back bigger, better, stronger than ever.”
All activities at the Eagle have been moved outdoors due to the pandemic, and they will continue on until the closure in November. Ramey said he hopes to host VIP farewell parties before the closure so small groups can have the chance to say goodbye to the building.
“The thought of losing our building has been very emotional for me,” Ramey continued, “but the thought of where we’re going and getting there is just so exciting.”
The Atlanta Eagle has been a mainstay in Atlanta’s LGBTQ community for more than 30 years. It is the site of Atlanta Leather Pride, and a police raid on the bar in 2009 became a foundational moment in Atlanta LGBTQ history.
Richard Ramey photo via Facebook, Xion party photo via Twitter Above: Atlanta Eagle owner Richard Ramey stands in front of his club. Above right: A man died at a circuit party hosted last weekend which were reportedly “packed.”
Watch Ramey’s announcement on our website, thegavoice.com.
A man who has been unidentified died this weekend at an unofficial Atlanta Pride party. The man was unconscious in the basement of BJ Roosters during Xion, a circuit party lasting from 3-7am Sunday morning (October 11), when police were called,
according to 11 Alive. The man, who has been described as a Black man in his 40s or 50s by a party goer who provided a statement to LGBTQ Nation, was pronounced dead at Piedmont Hospital about 40 minutes later.
According to the victim’s partner, he had taken ecstasy pills at the club.
Police say there were no signs of foul play or trauma, but further details are limited as the investigation continues.
The Xion party was hosted by GA Boy Events, a party promotion company owned by Keith Allen Young. The event was “packed” according to the party attendee who said the tragedy “could have been avoided.”
“The venue was packed, to overcapacity at times,” the source said in a statement sent to LGBTQ Nation. “There were no protocols in place, clearly no EMTs on-site, and staff there seemed unprepared to handle anything of the sort. It was a minimum of 30 minutes before an ambulance arrived, and I’m being generous. It was tragic. I’ve been to parties all over the world, I have never been to one without EMTs. In my opinion this could have been avoided.”
On Saturday (October 10), the Atlanta Pride Committee (APC) released a statement reiterating that all official Pride events were virtual and APC had no involvement with private parties that were held.
“As a marginalized community, we have always had to fight for our survival, be it with mental health, trans health issues, access to quality care, and more,” APC Executive Director Jamie Fergerson said. “In light of that, we are particularly sensitive to the need for taking all precautions to protect ourselves and each other. The most important thing is for all of us to survive this pandemic and to stay health. We have also asked the City of Atlanta and our media partners to amplify the message to have Pride at home, wear masks, and practice harm reduction related to COVID-19.” Atlanta Eagle to Close and Relocate Man Dies at Unofficial Atlanta Pride Circuit Party