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Promoter finds niche; a rivalry at Ice Palace?
© St. Petersburg Times Not a week goes by that I don't receive an e-mail detailing one of Corey Curry's promotions. It's either a flier for drink specials at this club or jazz at the club or a party cruise next week. And with each e-mail, a nagging question grew more intense. Who is Corey Curry? I got my answer when Curry dropped by the Times office last week. He is a former Tampa Catholic and Jefferson High running back, a Morehead State, Ky., graduate, self-made success, self-described "grinder." Since Curry, 28, got back from Kentucky in 1996, he has been using his people skills, popularity and marketing degree savvy to make money. He dabbled in the promotions business and learned the ins and outs about promising to deliver a crowd to a club. The tenuous nature of promotions showed itself with Curry's first event, a picnic/party. More than 600 people showed up for the picnic at Rowlett Park, but only 12 came out for the after-party at the Garage club on Whiting. Still, Curry kept grinding through various partnerships. Convinced he could make a go of the promotions business full time, he walked away from a job with a local technology company to become founder and CEO of Pro Player Enterprises in February 2001. Curry's efforts have netted successful R&B and jazz followings at several clubs, including Moet on Hillsborough, Club Joy in Carrollwood and Club Amor in East Tampa. He has focused particularly on filling the upscale entertainment void for blacks. "It's a sales job," Curry said. "Just like some people sell widgets, I sell entertainment." It's his latest venture that may prove to be the biggest. Curry has partnered with the StarShip Dining Yacht for some late night party cruises. The first two have each set sail at midnight on the third Saturday of the month. In March, he drew nearly 300 and in April the crowd was nearly 500. The next cruise sails Saturday, and may eventually expand into theme parties including country, Latin, hip-hop, gay and Caribbean every weekend. Despite the success, Curry remains grounded. "I'm not flashy or gaudy," said Curry, who has a 7-year-old daughter and plans to marry later this year. "I just want to be able to take care of my bills and take care of my family. I'm doing okay. I don't have any bill collectors chasing me and my car isn't running out of gas. I must be doing something right." As far as ideas go, it's brilliant. Talk of Florida and Florida State playing a basketball game at the Ice Palace surfaced last week and gets a hearty endorsement from me. A schedule conflict will not allow the Gators and 'Noles to play on the Friday before the football game, so the schools are considering a tentative date in December. Ice Palace officials also want the schools to consider a site change. The game would draw far better in Tampa than Tallahassee if school isn't in session at Florida State. If you could pair the game with a USF contest, it would be a downtown event worth celebrating. Meet me at Newks before tipoff. Free food. Free entertainment. Do the children and parents living near the Salesian Boys & Girls Club (302 W Gladys) need any other kind of enticement? On Wednesday, the club will put on a talent show with the Jesuit High Honor Society serving up food contributed by an anonymous donor for the 150 expected to attend. Indigo Coffee is poised to open soon on Howard just north of the interstate. The sign out front says it's looking for baristas. I don't know what a barista is, but it seems to me they should be looking for people to serve coffee. That's all I'm saying. -- Ernest Hooper can be reached at (813) 226-3406 or Hooper@sptimes.com.
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Times columns today Ernest Hooper Jan Glidewell Gary Shelton From the Times Metro desks |
