Hello, all. This is just an update on what's been going on at La Vela lately. Friday was slow since I think a lot of people were just arriving or packing to come Saturday morning, but last night was SLAMMED. I was definitely surprised about how many people showed up. Even thoguh we got a little rain, the parking lot was almost completely full at all times, and tons of people showed up. One thing that puzzled me was that 85% of the women that came were BEAUTIFUL - not that I'm complaining. In the daytime, we've been having bikini contests virtually every day that it doesn't rain , so you should all definitely check that out. Pretty soon, we'll also be having wet t-shirt and male hardbody contests, so La Vela is definitely the place to be right now - day or night!

Here's a couple tips for the La Vela club scene. People don't start showing up until around 10:45, so I reccommend showing up around 11 or 11:30 to make a fashionably late entrance (Speaking of fashion, if you are a VIP and are dressed for success, ask about the *****Kat Lounge). Remember, if you are under 21, you can't leave and re-enter, so consider the consequences. You would be surprised how many security employees are working each night, so please don't drink underage or buy underage kids drinks. It's not that we don't want you to have fun, just keep things legal. Personally, I would have a couple drinks before I came, but not in the parking lot, because there's security out there as well. The VIP cards are a steal, so I'd definitely invest in one to skip the long lines, to get in free, and to get discount drinks. You can get drunk, and you can get crazy, but just don't get "disorderly" or try to ruin someone else's time. We had to eject about 15 people last night, and most of them were for fighting or trying to start fights. The most important thing to remember is be FRIENDLY and have FUN! The more people you meet, the better of a time you will have, guaranteed, so don't be shy! Hell, get some drinks in your system if that's what it takes!

Just thought I'd let ya know how things were going and where the hottness is. I'll probably update next week or so - I hope to see everyone there!

We appreciate all the help and info that chickmagnet has been passing along to our forum members, so he is one of this month's TripSmarter T-Shirt winners!

I just sent you a PM for you size, address, etc.

Thanks and keep up the good work! Lots of people are finding your posts very helpful!

How long do you usually have to wait to get in if you don't have a VIP card?

Last weekend, there was virtually no line even though the parking lot was full, but sometimes the lines can get pretty long. I've actually seen the line go all the way out to the road before, but it moves pretty quick, so you have nothing to fear. 15 minute wait at the max.

cool, thanks!

If anyone knows when they plan to build a new Club La Vela please give me a comment. thanx

Rumors are still going around and nothing is for sure. If you got 78 million dollars for your club and you knew that condos were rapidly rising, would you re-open the club in hopes that its success would continue and have to worry about the buisness running stress? I've heard from some eole that it's not re-opening and I've heard rumors from others as specific as that it's re-locating down front beach road accross from angelo's and it's only having 2 big rooms. All we know right now is that it's closing mid-April.

I have zero insider info on this, but being in tourism marketing for more than a decade, I have some comments:

1. You don't take a brand name like La Vela and just toss it. Way too valuable. Even if they wanted out, they would rebuild, crank it up, then sell it at an obscene profit to newcomers who want to make the scene in a big way in the area.

2. Lots of people have big money. (OK ... you and I may not, but plenty of people out there are worth tens of millions). In that crowd, you are just another wealthy person. BUT ... owning a club is stature. Why do you think celebs want to open clubs, invest in clubs, have it be known they are involved?

3. There is no better way to network, which helps you find new opportunities to make your money work for you and find out insider info that helps the rich get richer. When you own a club, you don't have to go knock on doors or go to chamber of commerce meetings. The people who will be investing in Bay County will be down on vacation first. And they will be at La Vela, getting VIP treatment.

Now ... the new La Vela probably won't be the dive that the old one was. Probably be much smaller, more exclusive, like the Euro Bars that are red hot in Vegas. When you can sell bottle service at $300-400 for a bottle of Grey Goose to a table of five, do you really need to grind it out for riff raff who are ripping the place up? (Note: I'm not aiming this at anyone or painting a broad brush about club visitors. I'm one myself, both at the really upscale places and the fun dives). Smaller will be better for the owners. More exclusive, more intimate.

Just my thoughts. Be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I'm going to have to disagree with you chickmagnet, unless something has changed about the way they let people inside of Vela. When I've gone in years past, I've noticed that the crowd would start showing up at 7:00. In fact, during the busiest weeks, people would show up at 6:00 to stand in line to get their hand stamped for $5 or $10.

If you come after 8:00, you will most likely be paying anywhere from $25 to $40 to get inside (maybe they'll be a little nicer this year since they just got 78 million dollars for their lot). The line does move extremely slow, as this equals more money for the club (the later you come, the more you pay to get in). So, even if you come stand in line at 7:00, there's no guarantee that you're going to get to the door before 8:00.

For the newbies, what most people do is go to Vela between 7 and 9 for the "free" and discounted drinks. Some people leave and come back later (with a handstamp). But for the most part, people get drunk and stay. If you try to show up at 10:45...11:00, you're going to be standing in a long line, and you will pay at least $25 to get in.

Well, upskirt, I'm just telling everyone how things went last weekend. I work tonight and tomorrow night, so I'll post an update on the lines, crowd, VIPs and other stuff. Today we finished putting up all the banners for the advertisers (trojan, jeep, etc) and we're kicking off poolside contests every day. Today, there was free draft from 11-1 by the pool. By 12, there were only about 15 people, but this is also supposed to be one of the slower weeks of Spring Break. I heard that FSU and the Carolinas are out for Spring Break now, and a lot of them should be coming here since it's pretty close, so hopefully we'll get a big crowd at La Vela tonight like last Saturday.

Here's another update on the Club La Vela scene! Saturday, the pool deck was packed with beautiful Spring Breakers from all around the US - including Michigan, Canada, FSU, UF, and Georgia! We kicked off the World Gym Male Hardbody Contest, the Panama Jack Bikini Contest, and the Wet T-shirt Contest, so hopefully you didn't miss out! If you did, be sure to head out to La Vela EVERY DAY, because that's how often we will be holding the contests! The winners get a cash prize and a free bar tab for the night, so don't be shy to sign up for the contests! If you're watching when the contests are about to start and you wanna get next to the stage tog et a good view, you have to be WILD and let the host know it. I suggest screaming when he looks at you and jumping in the pool! Both Friday and Saturday nights were packed with Spring Breakers! There was almost a constant line at the door and once again, I was surprised how many beautiful women showed up. I almost wish I was there dancing and hanging out instead of working! The cover has been steadily 10$ for over 21 and 25$ for under 21. If you are 21 or over, you can also leave and re-enter as you please. We usually have free cover from 7-9, so a lot of people show up for the free cover, then re-enter around 10 or 11.

A couple more La Vela guidelines - PLEASE don't drink in the club if you are underage. I had to eject about 4 people last night for underage drinking. Personally, I suggest that if you ARE under 21, drink at your hotel room or on the way there, but NOT DRIVING. Then, act SOBER at the gate, because we won't let minors in we suspect that they're under the influence of alcohol. I also ejected one man for buying a kid a drink and giving it to him in the bathroom, so please don't buy kids drinks. If anyone likes to have a couple drinks and get jiggy with a random girl that looks good at the time, it's ME, and if I was going to do it at La Vela, I would go in my car, on the beach, upstairs in the Darkroom, or downstairs in the Underground in one of the "love rooms", but NOT by the pool deck. The big idea is to use common sense and La Vela will be the best Spring Break experience you will have! Assuming your liver makes it through alive, you should be in the retirement home in about 60 years making fun of the other old people for not PARTYING WITH YOU spring break!

I need to go catch up on studying though and take a break from the action! Hope to see you all out there!

Hey chickmagnet,

How does one go about getting one of the VIP cards??

they usually sell them everywhere on beaches and such

i'm a lincoln fry chick magnet on wheels

I'm not sure which days they are sold, but Saturday night, they were available in the gift shop, $40 for locals and $60 for everyone else, which is definitely worth it (to skip the line at the door and get discount drinks).