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business1d ago
Summer already heating up in the Hamptons as Montauk locals challenge hotelier over Surf Lodge rival
- Locals petition to revoke approvals after leaked documents hint at a larger nightlife venue.
- Owner Marley Dominguez says Este will operate strictly as a restaurant and downplays nightclub rumors.
- The East Hampton Planning Board may require modifications to bind operations to restaurant use.
- The project was approved last November as a 39-seat, two-story restaurant with rooftop access.
- Leaked investor documents indicated plans for a larger venue, prompting community concern.
- Locals formed a petition in May, arguing the approvals don’t match the proposed use and occupancy.
- Dominguez claims the documents were leaked by a rival investor seeking to influence approval.
- Town Planning Director Tina Vavilis LaGarenne said modifications may be needed to bind the project to restaurant use.
- Dominguez emphasized two years of effort and defended his plan as neighbor-friendly.
- The debate mirrors past clashes when Montauk venues faced local pushback over noise and use.
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