History of the Brazilian Court Hotel

Chapter 8 The BC Reborn

Bright Williamson Johnson, longtime manager of the Brazilian Court, died suddenly on December 9, 1996, in his home at 322 Australian Avenue in Palm Beach. Bright was aged 84 and had undergone aortic valve replacement. He had just returned from a cruise through the Panama Canal with friend Irene Brooks. He had spent his last evening doing what he had loved to do for some 70 years .... dancing at the Taboo Club on Worth Avenue. In January 1997 a memorial service for former man- ager Bright W. Johnson was held in the south court- yard. Many of Bright's friends were in attendance. The weather was perfect as I gave the eulogy. Emo- tions overcame me near the end and I could not con- tinue. Bright was not only the perfect hotel manager, but the perfect father too. I miss him every day. The ceremony was followed by rounds of drinks for all as a bagpiper played in the distance. It was what Bright would have wanted. Bright Johnson had been with the Brazilian Court for more than 50 years, a record in the industry that will probably never be matched. He loved the business and the hotel itself. He was the ultimate boss for the many employees he managed over the years. He thought nothing of bailing out an employee who had been arrested on minor charges at 3 in the morning. He stood - up for his employees in the face of elite snobs who tried to demean them. On one occasion he told Winston Churchill ’ s son to move to the Colony after he mistreated several employees. He knew the business inside and out and I never saw him have a bad day. One evening a hotel employee came to the house and removed our television set. A guest had made a spe- cial request to watch a boxing match and the hotel at the time had no televisions. Bright would take care of it. The guest was Tony Martin. After some $4 million in renovations that reduced the number of rooms from 134 to 101, the hotel hired General Manager Michael Brown who had been GM at the Colony. The dining room was rebuilt to in- clude a "kitchen theater" where diners could watch their meals being prepared. Also added were a beau- ty salon and barber shop. Kitchenettes, taken out in

1932, were added to all of the rooms. The next own- er would not be allowed to add kitchens to their ren- ovations. Palm Beach designer Tui Pranich, known for the understated elegance of his interiors, was hired to design most of the hotels main rooms. In April 1997 the BRAZILIAN COURT was granted a tax exemption based on a 1995 law exempting a property owner from paying taxes on renovations after the local historic preservations office approves the improvements. This exempted the Brazilian Court from taxes on $3.4 million in renovations. Room rates began with studios at $225 and suites $350 a night. Annual residency started at $3,200 a month and included meals and housekeeping. The concept was for the Brazilian Court to be a sen- ior residential hotel with common areas open to the public for dining and meetings. For a while it was rumored that the hotel was to become a nursing home. Gosman and Brown had quite a time convinc- ing Palm Beachers that it would remain an upscale hotel. The Town of Palm Beach barred comedian Joan Riv- ers from broadcasting her radio show from the dining room in 1997. The Town claimed it violated zoning laws. A minor disagreement between opposing lawyers brought the Brazilian Court back into the news in August of 1997. Seems that attorneys for the State of Florida who were involved in an anti - tobacco law suits had set - up headquarters at the Brazilian Court. They were so concerned about security that they had their rooms, suites and makeshift offices swept for electronic bugs. Tobacco attorney Monica Medina had been unable to get a room at the Breakers where other tobacco attor- neys were staying. She got a room at the Brazilian Court directly across the hall from the state attor- neys. The judge, when confronted with the details, ordered both sides "to make all reasonable efforts to stay away from each other's hotel".

Medina checked out the next morning saying "I want nothing to do with the Brazilian Court."

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