The Ibiza nightlife scene has sustained a barrage of attacks from local lawmakers, but in one form or another it looks like club owners will carry on. Ushuaïa may be no more, but its management has announced a new venture. In the summer of 2017, they will occupy what was formerly Space and rebrand it as Hï Ibiza.
Ushuaïa Entertainment owner (and Ibiza’s former mayor and foreign minister) Abel Matutes Juan had guaranteed that Ushuaïa would keep its name earlier in the month. As the first promotional video uploaded to the Hï Ibiza YouTube channel reveals, however, only the “i” with an umlaut over it has remained.
Both Space and Ushuaïa had been forced to close due to raids as part of Operation Chopin, in which Ibiza officials investigated over 87 nightclubs for tax fraud and other offenses. To make matters worse, the Sant Josep Town Council has also began hearings to discuss stricter noise and capacity restrictions for venues throughout the White Isles.
Ibiza’s nightclub circuit has felt insurmountable pressure as its lawmakers have sought to repair its image as a resort destination, but its entertainment industry looks to weather the storm after all. In the months leading up to summer, clubbers and electronic music fans alike might look forward to announcements regarding other nightclub and dayclub grand openings.