A $60M night club opened in Linden last week with the aim of taking a bite out of Cricket World Cup (CWC) and transforming the mining town into party central.
Club IceRock which opened its doors on New Year's Day is reputedly the largest night club in the country with room to comfortably hold about 1500 patrons. It is fully air conditioned with digital surround sound and motion-censor disco lights.
Rock Hamilton, who invested in the nightclub, recently re-settled in Linden after spending 24 years in the United States. Hamilton describes the nightspot as the most "technically advanced nightclub" in the country. He is already formalizing an "entertainment package" for the CWC which will see patrons from the city being transported to Linden to party, then transported back to the city. "Cricket is the game of life and life should be full of entertainment and that's what I intend to provide for those cricket lovers who are heading Guyana's way for the tournament," Hamilton said in a press release.
Hamilton said IceRock's interior design is similar to many of the New York clubs. It is decorated with neon colours but has a Guyanese touch in the construction work; an arched balcony overlooks the bottom flat.
The club's deejay booth is located in the upper storey which also houses the VIP section and some of the bars. There are other bars in the bottom flat including the main one. The club also boasts five exit points, three of which are emergency exits.
"I have invested over $60 million dollars in this business and I want it to work not just for the Lindeners but for each and every Guyanese who is looking for a good night, full of entertainment," Hamilton said. He said security is a serious issue "and so I have installed three levels of security for both men and women when they are making their way into the club and into the VIP section, there's also a no smoking, no weapons policy at the club".
The release said club IceRock will also be available for hosting special events including weddings and birthday celebrations. The club boasts a large kitchen and a staff of waiters to cater for such occasions.
Hamilton said the club will be open daily but the party time will be on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. From Monday to Thursday, it's sip and chat at the bar as the dance floor and the VIP sections will be closed. For now, the club has begun a full roster of activities and will launch a soca month of shows as Guyana prepares for Mashramani.
Georgetown party lovers are being encouraged to enjoy the getaway and make their way to Linden on the weekends. Hamilton said he has been asked why he decided to open his multi-million dollar entertainment facility in a town that is facing economic problems and his simple answer is that he has faith in the town that raised him and shaped the lives of his entire family.