Bygone places / Premier Entertainment Center, a huge venue with a stage and tables for dining.
Even though it’s said that its owners were linked to drug trafficking, this nightclub welcomed many famous guests, including Yuri, Roberto Carlos, and Juan Gabriel.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
In 1990, I married the mother of my children. I divorced eight years later. I don’t want to speak ill of her—suffice it to say she had a “difficult” personality (and that adjective is clearly an understatement). I should also mention that I’m not a fan of Juan Gabriel; he’s not on my playlist. However, being the good husband that I am, I accompanied her to the Premier to see the Divo of Juárez. Great talent and physical presence.
What I remember most wasn’t the food or “Dime cuando tú vas a vol-ve-er…,” but that sitting next to us was Lupita Jones, who had very recently (in 1991) won the coveted title of Miss Universe. At the time, she was a stunning woman in her twenties—irresistible. The lady I mentioned at the beginning went absolutely berserk (think Hulk) because I kept looking at Lupita. Let’s just say, it took me several days to recover…
Who owned it?
This is how I remember the Premier, a venue that could hold a thousand people and hosted artists like Ray Conniff, Roberto Carlos, Juan Luis Guerra, Enanitos Verdes, and the oft-mentioned Juan Gabriel, among others. Originally, it was called Metrópolis (after Fritz Lang’s silent film) and reached its peak in the ’80s and ’90s. All sources agree that the Premier was owned by Rafael Aguilar Guajardo, associated with the so-called “Lord of the Skies.” After his death, the entertainment center became property of the Attorney General’s Office and later, Televisa.
Television programs
The venue was used to film Jorge Ortiz de Pinedo’s show Al ritmo de la noche, followed by Domingo Azteca. In other words, it functioned as a stage and TV studio. There was also a nightclub called “Click.” In 2002, a fire destroyed 2,500 square meters of the Premier. It’s unclear if it was deliberate. This marked the beginning of its decline. Shortly afterward, this southern Mexico City entertainment center closed for good.
San Jerónimo 190, La Otra Banda, Coyoacán, CDMX
PERMANENTLY CLOSED
