Toronto nightclub owner and entrepreneur Charles Khabouth, arguably "the most powerful man in Toronto's entertainment district" is embarking on his largest project yet. As reported by the
Toronto Star, Khabouth is in the process of building a $150-million boutique hotel and condominium on Blues Jays Way in the heart of the King West district. Named
Bisha, the complex will have a nightclub-y feel with two themed floors and 30,000 square feet devoted to amenities.
"Khabouth, 49, grew up in Lebanon. Even though he has couture tastes � he owned his own Hugo Boss boutique, drove a Ferrari and his wife is a former model � Khabouth wears a signature dark urban safari jacket and could easily be mistaken for a bike courier."
"He worked three jobs in high school; his first was at a McDonald's. When he was 22, he started his first nightclub with a $30,000 loan. He hit it big when he used the proceeds from his first venture to rent a decrepit space at Richmond and Duncan in 1986, creating what would become the city's entertainment district."
"The privately owned INK generates now more than $30 million in revenues annually, according to Khabouth. It owns and operates the massive Guvernment and Kool Haus nightclub complex on the city's waterfront, the largest such venue in Canada with more than 50,000 square feet on the main floor, and the This Is London nightclub in the entertainment district. It also owns the Dragonfly Nightclub in Casino Niagara and a string of restaurants, including Ultra Supper Club on Queen Street and Spice Route, an Asian-influenced bistro bar on King Street West."
"This year, Khabouth is finally being recognized by the mainstream business community. He is on the short list of nominees for an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award."
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Toronto Star