Avant Gardner LLC, the operator of New York’s troubled club Brooklyn Mirage, has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing was made in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
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According to a statement provided to Billboard by a representative for Avant Gardner, “the decision to file for Chapter 11 relief follows several months of financial distress, culminating with Avant Gardner being unable to open its newly constructed Mirage event space for the 2025 season.”
Brooklyn Mirage is part of the Avant Gardner entertainment complex that also includes Great Hall and Kings Hall, both venues that will remain open and operating during the Chapter 11 process. These spaces have also hosted a number of shows that have been unable to happen at Brooklyn Mirage this season, and they will continue to do so for the rest of the year.
Avant Gardner has received a debtor-in-possession financing commitment from its existing lender. As part of its filings, the company anticipates entering into a stalking horse purchase agreement — an initial bid on the assets of a bankrupt company — pursuant to which the Company will sell its assets to an entity formed and controlled by its existing lender, subject to a court supervised over-bidding process.
The news is the latest twist in a saga that began in earnest in May, when Brooklyn Mirage was set to open after a substantial remodel. But the opening weekend shows by Sara Landry were nixed after inspectors declined to grant the facility a permit to open. All of this summer’s shows at Brooklyn Mirage being subsequently cancelled week by week in the months that have followed. (Artists including Rezz, The Chainsmokers and many more have, as Landry did, moved their performances to other New York City venues.)
Amid the turmoil, it was announced that Josh Wyatt would no longer serve as CEO of the club’s parent company, with Gary Richards, Avant Gardner’s non-executive chairman of the board, stepping in as the company’s new CEO to stabilize the company’s finances and bring back Brooklyn Mirage for 2026 and beyond.
“The Avant Gardner event complex is a truly special music venue that has provided cutting edge experiences over the years for artists and fans from all around the globe,” Richards says in a statement. “Everyone I speak to has had the best sets and very special memories at the Brooklyn Mirage. Two months ago I was brought in as CEO to rebuild the company’s culture and turn the business around. I believe this Chapter 11 restructuring is the most viable path forward — it will allow us to stabilize Avant Gardner and focus on building for the future.”
