Genux Rebrands as Dehor to Shift from Nightlife to Culture and Conference Hub
Farewell to Genux, the «Dehor» is born. The world’s largest nightclub, as it was named when it was inaugurated in the late 1980s, is adapting to the times.
It is becoming smaller but expanding its offerings to include dining and conference tourism: a necessary downsizing because the great temples of dance are no longer trendy. To the extent that, in recent years, the nightlife crowd has turned its back on the Lonate structure.
Therefore, the old company, formed by Facchetti, Visioli, and Zecchi—those who had invested in Genux—although maintaining the same corporate structure (with their children or grandchildren now sitting in their place), has decided to reinvent itself and change its name.
The new project and transformation
Last night, the doors of the historic Genux opened to the future, revealing a new stage design, a new environment, and a fresh image for the clientele.
Many curious visitors did not want to miss the debut of «Dehor». But the operation by Data Power, the new corporate label with Pierluigi Visioli as sole director, aims at a different purpose for the venue: transforming it into a hub for culture and conferences.
Aside from the nightclub—which features two rooms where funk and house music will be played, equipped with no less than six bars—«Dehor» aspires to become a center where conference attendees, meeting participants, and fashion show guests can find work, entertainment, and dining spaces.
The venue, explains art director Federica Lippa (who previously worked as a Pierre employee at a German multinational, then in popular nightclubs), «can comfortably seat up to 500 people and provide clear views of each phase of the meeting, including the main speakers’ table».
The internal transformation work is not yet fully complete. Behind some panels, Federica Lippa notes, there are additional rooms.
Indeed, the conference hall will ultimately have a capacity of over 800 people. The restaurant will seat 300, with 500 spots available for buffet service; the dining offer is considered high-end and complementary to the conference sector.
«Dehor, moreover, aims to become a cultural center hosting events, with a program to be defined later» — emphasizes Federica Lippa again — «to maximize the potential of the facility, which benefits from a strategically advantageous location from a traffic point of view».
Response to challenges and future prospects
Nevertheless, the nightclub recorded a full house during its opening night, lively with its DJs’ music and a buffet. But are nightclubs really in crisis?
«It’s the large venues, like Genux, that are in trouble» — observes Ezio Rizzi, national secretary of the Siae workers’ union —; for several years now, we have seen a crisis affecting the larger nightclubs, with no more nights hosting 10-12 thousand people, as used to happen here in Lonato.
Younger crowds are no longer going to dance on Sunday afternoons. Dehor thus presents itself well-positioned to occupy a niche in the current landscape of nightclubs in the area.
The Garda Riviera continues its race to compete with the Romagna coastline.
