FOREWARD: The letter below is an internal company email that was sent last night in light of the recent events to the LRG staff. As you, our friends and guests, are part of the LRG family, we wanted to share with you the steps we are taking to ensure this does not happen again.
I am sure that by this point most of you have heard that at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 10th Republic New Orleans, along with other venues in the area, was held up at gunpoint by three armed and masked men. Everyone is OK physically. Mentally and emotionally, however, I think we have a relatively tough road ahead. My only concern is for our team’s health, safety, and well-being. Everything else in terms of the material things can all come or it can all go away and I would be indifferent as long as our team is safe and well.
This is one of the most helpless, vulnerable and, at the same time, infuriating things through which I’ve been. I have been stunned all day today and I was not even there when the event occurred, so I can only imagine how those who were there feel today. I do not have children, but I would imagine that this feeling is very close to a parent’s feeling if the same happened to a child.
I would like to personally acknowledge the fact that Danny Talbot, who was our Manager on Duty, did everything absolutely perfectly and is, no doubt, the reason that our team was unharmed physically. I would also like to thank Bruce Fowler, who is a very visible pillar within LRG, for heading over immediately to provide any and all support Republic needed. Lastly, I appreciate the way that Blake Allemann conducted himself, taking ownership of everything, once he arrived.
A few points that I would like to make as we move forward:
1. The health, safety, and well-being of our team is first and foremost, both mentally and physically. We will do whatever those who went through this experience need us to do in order to help them deal with their experience and feelings. We will also have Michael Sarver, Lt. of the NOPD over to speak to the staff to assuage any concerns or fears that might arise. Lastly, we are looking into bringing in a professional to help talk with people about how to move forward.
2. Expect immediate and tremendous policy shifts in the way that we operate, the hours until which we stay open (we’ll close earlier on a nightly basis), our security personnel and systems, with whom we create partnerships or promotional opportunities, and our programming choices going forth to ensure that this NEVER happens again at any of our spaces.
3. I still very much believe in Republic’s plan, direction, and team that we set forth for 2010. Danny’s brilliance under such a dangerous situation is evidence of that. This is a setback and it will take some time, but I think the most important thing that we can do to heal this very gaping wound is to fight harder for those things that we do to inspire New Orleans and ourselves: the live music, the private parties, the fashion events, and the fundraisers.
Other successful venues have been through similar situations. They each endured and created policy changes to ensure it would never happen again, as will we. A situation like this can either be the cause of an organization’s splintering into pieces and completely falling apart. It can also be the point at which an organization’s members form the kind of bond necessary to make it through anything, together. I am hoping that this situation strengthens our bonds with each other, strengthens our passions for what it is we mean to New Orleans, and our commitment to work with each other to accomplish extraordinary things together. I will do anything, whether personally or professionally, for each and every one of you and each and every member of our family to ensure that this we achieve the latter.
With sincerest gratitude, apologies, and love,
Ro
