---

A couple Hollywood stars, famed musicians and state and local dignitaries came together Monday night to celebrate the grand reopening of Asbury Lanes.

iStar CEO Jay Sugarman opened the night by thanking those who made the relaunch and night possible, including his Senior VP of Land & Development Brian Cheripka.  

“Brian is our leader on the ground,” Sugarman said. “It’s his job to get our ideas built and he has done an incredible job.”

Aside from the housing projects, iStar transformed the long vacant Salvation Army building into The Asbury, a luxury boutique hotel and entertainment venue, and is less than a year away from opening Asbury Ocean Club, a 17 story mixed use high rise at what was a twice failed Ocean Avenue development site.

“We could have cut and run like so many others did before us or we could stay and fight for this town,’ Sugarman said of the real estate investment company’s decision to become the city’s master waterfront developer. “Now, it was actually a pretty tough choice; 10 years ago it was a tough time for Asbury Park. A lot of people were dismissing Asbury Park as a town of faded glory and failed projects but sometimes you see the future so clearly that you can take a step back and say – not this time, not on our watch.”

Sugarman introduced Springsteen who welcomed the standing room only crowd to Asbury Park and to the Asbury Lanes.

“Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, speaking as an old homeboy, we didn’t know if we’d ever see Asbury come back or not, in our lifetime” he said. “So, it’s been a joy watching what’s been happening in town over the past 10, 15 or 20 years.”

Springsteen gave a shout out to all those remained in the community when others left, especially pointing out the art and LGBTQ communities.  

“I walk down the boardwalk now, I feel like the Ghost of Christmas Past,” he said, “But that’s okay, it’s fun to watch Asbury’s future unfold in front of me.”

The night’s performances included a seamless union between the veteran rocker and music industry photographer Danny Clinch’s Tangiers Blues Band renditions of ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu’ by Johnny Rivers and Muddy Waters’ “I Just Want to Make Love To You.”

Clinch, known for his circuitus harmonica riffs around every imaginable blues note, let his Waits-esque voice shine during a rendition of Tommy Tucker’s “High Heel Sneakers,” and joined the popular Portland Oregon-based alt rock band Portugal. The Man for “Holy Roller.”

And in his own ‘rock’ style, Gov Phil Murphy made a brief appearance on stage with Sugarman, Cheripka and David Bowd, a partner and managing operator of The Asbury and the Asbury Lanes. He told the three men they have ‘made a huge difference in Asbury Park.’

“Obviously, this incredible Asbury Lanes renaissance is a as good of an example as any but there are many examples,” Murphy said. “And, the thing we love about you is that you are community minded.”

Murphy was referencing the $125,000 donation that will to the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County’s Asbury Park location.

“I’m feeling humbled and thrilled iStar has committed a billion dollars of investment into this community and they have made sure that the westside is a part of that redevelopment,” Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Doug Eagles said just before Springsteen, Clinch and the band closed out the show with a rendition Twist and Shout, which was covered by the Beatles and Isley Brothers. “They have invested in the Boys and Girls Club because they know what happens on the waterfront is tied to what happens on the westside.”

Many of the city’s local community and dignitaries from across the state were in attendance. And, the night’s Hollywood notables included former “Entourage” star Adrian Grenier and Hugh Jackman, whose own home was designed by The Asbury and Asbury Lanes architect Dominic Kozerski.

In the end, the celebration, which began with a VIP passed hors d’oeuvres and champagne reception, and welcomed 100 guests via lottery, ended with DJ Questlove spinning in The Asbury’s Soundbooth, moved from the rooftop Salvation due a lightning storm. And, in Danny Clinch’s Transparent Gallery local bluesman Stringbean and his band were playing well through the night.

Among the invited guests was Michael Scialfa, a member of the famed Jersey Shore Eddie Testa band.

“I’m glad to see the way they did it because I wanted them to keep a little part of something from it,” Scialfa said after recalling some of his many memorable times playing the venue, including opening for Jon Bon Jovi and his then Wild Ones band. “It was very important to me that this place reopen.”  

————————————————————————————————————-

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.

---