"No, actually it's not," Godwin, 26, told him. She should know--she's been booking events at the club since early January with her business partner, Jon Cairns, 24, who has worked with Club FX for the past year. The two are upset that court documents and media coverage have portrayed the club as a haven for Ecstasy and other drugs. And business is suffering, they say, because people think federal drug agents closed Club FX.
Cairns and Godwin rent Club FX on Friday nights and run NUCLEUS, an electronic music event. They opened on January 4, drawing in 300 people, Godwin says. But two days after the January 23 drug raid, only 150 showed up.
"The first night didn't even have flyers out, yet it did better than that night after the raid," Godwin says. "Everyone thinks it's closed."
"One of my DJs called last week because he thought we were shut down," Cairns says.
For over a year, local police and federal DEA agents have been investigating drug sales at Club FX and another club in the International District; they went undercover at Club FX several times. Officials say they purchased drugs at the club, which bolstered their case, resulting in 30 court indictments and the arrest of 21 suspects.
Moreover, court documents say Club FX was aware of drug sales. "There is probable cause to believe that Club FX, including its managers, agents, and employees, are knowingly and intentionally making [the] premises and building available to others and maintaining that premises for the purpose of unlawfully distributing and using controlled substances," the DEA affidavit says.
Godwin says it's entirely possible that there was a drug problem at Club FX last year, and both she and Cairns are glad the feds cracked down. But they think it's unfair that Club FX's name is now synonymous with the drug bust even though the problem occurred last year. The truth, they say, is that federal agents raided the club on January 23 looking for evidence, but didn't arrest anyone currently affiliated with the club.
"They came in on a Wednesday night and trashed the place," Cairns says. "All they confiscated was a couple of glow sticks, four cans of Red Bull [energy drink], and a pair of white gloves." And Cairns says that of the 30 people indicted, he only recognized one name--a man Club FX security 86'd last year when they suspected he was selling drugs.
For now, Cairns and Godwin are now doing whatever they can to promote their event. And they've boosted security by hiring off-duty Seattle police officers for extra protection at the door.
