Mixed emotions towards new Beverly Hills Supper Club development скачать в хорошем качестве

Mixed emotions towards new Beverly Hills Supper Club development

SOUTHGATE, Ky. (WKRC) - 43 years ago Thursday, 165 people were killed when fire engulfed the Beverly Hills Supper Club. The property has been empty since that fateful night. Now, there are plans to redevelop the 78 acre plot into a 79-unit assisted living facility, 89 single family homes, and hundreds of apartments. Joan Vandergriff said the staff at the Beverly Hills Supper Club became like her family during her 6 years working there. "I was a waitress I worked with main dining room, I opened the place and closed it," she said. Bill Raitt is one of 10 survivors who was inside the Caberet Room. His wife didn't make it out. "The doors stopped opening before we ever got out so I was in there it was about 12:30 and they knocked a hole in the wall and when the air came in it woke me up. When the fireman came by I reached out and grabbed his leg," said Raitt. "I remember the night vividly. I remember my uncle driving me here, and I remember watching the survivors come out on the buses and looking for my parents," said Sandra Raitt, daughter of Bill Raitt. Joan and Bill, and dozens more survivors came back this year and took the opportunity to walk on the site. Next year, the proposed development of this land could be further along and they might not be able to go back up. "This was my grandfather's favorite place to go on his birthday and celebrate and I just want to come up before they level it all," said Tammy Frederick, of Bellevue. Southgate City Council has been working with David Brock on the 65-million dollar development deal with Ashley Homes. Brock knows a lot about the land, he was a bus boy at the supper club. "They do know that where everyone had died, it's going to be very difficult to turn that dirt over and put a building on it. So, they are going to work with us, to know where everything was at to not have that happen," he said. Some people think this should stay sacred ground. "I just wish they would leave it alone and let the people rest in peace that died here," said Frederick. Others think it's time for new life on the land. "I think it's not going to be a business, well it's a business but not the type where you have people in and out all the time though, I think that would be very disrespectful," said Vandergriff. "Now I think it's time to move on," said Raitt. Move on, but not forget. "There's going to be a partial memorial and also a park that you'll be reminisce and walk around through the ground where everyone had died at," said Brock. Southgate City Council approved the next steps of this development on May 6. Now, the development goes to Campbell County Municipal Planning and Zoning. Planning and zoning will host a public meeting on July 14th at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Center in Southgate. Everyone is encouraged to attend to give input on the project. Southgate City Council will have to vote on final approval of this project before it moves forward. That will happen at one of their meetings in August.