Circuit party Ascension boycotts Fire Island Pines and relocates to Greece

Another major event has pulled out of taking place at a venue owned by New York gay businessman Ian Reisner.
It was announced late week that the organizers of the annual Ascension Party – due to take place on Fire Island Pines – had decided not to go ahead with the circuit party’s planned event over the Labor Day weekend in August.
They have decided to relocate the event to Mykonos in Greece.
Although organizers posted a message on their Facebook page saying that the relocation came about because they wanted a ‘special and unexpected way’ to mark the event’s tenth anniversary, Ascension’s producer, Eric Von Kuersteiner posted a separate message on Facebook on Friday saying that the recent calls for a boycott of Reisner’s venues had prompted the move, reports Edge City Media.
Reisner and business partner Mati Weiderpass made headlines in late April when they hosted a private dinner for Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
It has since emerged that Reisner made a donation for Cruz’s campaign. He subsequently asked for his money to be returned after he realized that the donation could be misconstrued as him agreeing with Cruz’s notorious views against same-sex marriage.
Since news of the intimate meeting with Cruz emerged, there have been widespread calls for a boycott of properties owned by the pair – which includes the Out NYC hotel, XL nightclub, and properties in the commercial district of Fire Island Pines owned separately by Reisner.
Reisner only purchased the latter properties at auction earlier this year but his inaugural summer season has been overshadowed by the fallout from the Cruz dinner.
Both businessmen have issued apologies for making a ‘mistake’ in hosting Cruz. Reisner went as far as donating $20,000 to the advocacy arm of the Fire Islands Pines Property Owners Association (FIPPOA) as a demonstration of his regret at prompting offense.
However, both have also reacted bullishly to the subsequent boycott, which they say is the work of extremists in the LGBT community.
Events that pulled bookings at the OUT included the New York Gay Men’s Chorus and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
A protest rally also took place outside the OUT in April and the Queer Nation campaign group flew a plane over Fire Islands Pines earlier this month to tell people to boycott Reisner’s businesses.
After announcing last Wednesday that Ascension would be moving to Greece, Von Kuersteiner posted his reason on the closed Facebook group ‘Free’ Fire Island Pines on Friday.
‘I thought that the Boycott would have convinced Ian (Reisner) to do the right thing and sell (he's had offers since I withdrew mine) unfortunately however he has not. ‘As I would not personally patronize any of his properties, I cannot in good conscience support his businesses with any additional revenue that Ascension brings to the Pines every year.’
Von Kuersteinerhe confirmed his stance, saying that he would only think about moving Ascension back to Fire Island if Reisner sold his properties to someone else.
Ascension has previously always taken place on Fire Island Pines but has an international following. Von Kuersteiner said that Mykonos was a beautiful location and, as the event attracts men from all over the world – including Europe – he thought it a good idea to see if they could try to get everyone to go to Greece for this year's party.
Andy Humm, a broadcaster and member of the Steering committee of the Boycott Fire Island Pines Establishments and Out NYC Hotel Facebook page, told Gay Star Business:
‘This is a prime example of how Ian and Mati have made the Pines toxic for most self-respecting gay people. ‘Those defending them have their heads in the sand and are giving their once-proud community a reputation for self-hatred. If you patronize their properties, you can't have any confidence that the money won't go to anti-gay politicians. The boycott continues.’