Illusions are not made: today, The Mutiny is one more Hotel in Miami. Has four stars and has surely been upgraded For its history, although – like the city itself – prefer to hide turbulent episodes of the past. Inaugurated in 1968 as an apartment building, he became a hotel when the owner understood that the charms of the place – each room or suite decorated with exotic fantasies – they attracted passers -by. Among these birds, the whims of rock figures stood out.
Located in Coconut Grove, a relatively Bohemian area of Miami, welcomed touring musicians or who were recording in nearby studies: Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Fleetwod Mac, Cat Stevens O, Wow, Julio Iglesias. The establishment was held by Graham Nash and David Crosby (Mutiny) o la pareja Steve Stills-Neil Young (Midnight at the Bay). Hollywood figures also attended Paul Newman to Liza Minnelli. We do not uncover anything if we recognize that an important part of the hook was access to high quality drugs.
Like the Rick’s Café de Casablancathe Mutiny attracted a murky fauna, including importers and wholesalers of illegal substances, an anti -Castro veteran loop, Marielitos Cuba fled by the brave, Colombians and seekers of the great ball. There were large purchases there and personnel were recruited for clandestine expeditions. Inevitably, he also brought together local, state and federal police (they were recognized: they barely left tip). For their club they went from Pablo Escobar to George Hw Bush, then the CIA director, reluctant to control the excesses of his friend Manuel Noriega, involved in the call Panamanian route.
The secret was to combine businesses and pleasure. The hotel had the Mutiny Girls, a squad of girls who facilitated the lives of customers. Hedonism was complemented with useful services, such as the house aircraft to transport distinguished clients or the port of mooring for planners. All facilitated by a general climate in which the trafficker acquired dimensions of the countercultural hero, held on issues such as Smuggler’s Bluesde Glenn Frey.
That song would inspire an episode of Corruption in Miamia series that Glamor would contribute to the fight between drug traffickers and detectives, shot mainly in another area of Miami, South Beach. The municipal authorities were aware of the contribution of Marimberos y Coqueros to the local economy, but rejected stigma. Discouraged the filming of The price of powerMiami version of Scarface (1932), which would be made mostly in California, with a recreation of the Mutiny disco renamed as Babylon Club. Al Pacino’s Tony Montana was, of course, a Marielito.
Mutiny died of success. The club, which required one (initially coveted) Golden Card, ended up invaded by crowds that were not on the wave or requested Dom Pérignon, 150 dollars per bottle. In its decline, it ended up being controlled by the American equivalent of the Deposit Guarantee Fund, which proceeded to (badly) sell furniture and decorative objects.
Closed and beaten by Hurricane Andrew, Mutiny seemed to have an appointment with the piqueta. It was saved perhaps because of its architecture and, of course, by its legend. He reopened in 1999 and now lives from tourism. No client asks to fill their bathtub with champagne, as happened in 1979. No one repeated: the feeling was unpleasant.