Private membership club The Gathering Spot closes LA location. Private membership club The Gathering Spot is closing its Los Angeles location. The Gathering Spot has been an integral part of Black Hollywood, allowing young Black professionals to connect. The location has even hosted top figures such as Drake, LeBron James, and former Vice President Kamala Harris. But in recent months, the LA private membership club and coworking space has had a host of problems. In a statement to its members shared via email, Gathering Spot CEO and Co-Founder Ryan Wilson announced that the West Coast location is closing its doors after allegedly failing to reach an agreement with the property's landlord to resolve persistent issues. "After years of trying to make this location everything this community deserves, we were unable to reach an agreement with our landlord, and we will be closing the LA club on March 31st." Wilson stated that the location allegedly faced flooding that disabled the elevator and created an odor that persists today. Fortunately, the Gathering Spot co-founder is already seeking a new LA location. Current locations include Atlanta, Washington D.C., and, in March 2024, AFROTECH(TM) reported that a Houston location is also planned. The private membership club had investments from top celebrities. In late 2023, AFROTECH(TM) reported a failed merger between Gathering Spot and Greenwood, a digital banking platform. Co-founded by Killer Mike, Greenwood acquired Gathering Spot for $50 million. Gathering Spot later sued the organization for alleged breach of contract. However, less than a year ago, Gathering Spot appeared to have bounced back after securing $30 million in investments and regaining sole ownership, as AFROTECH(TM) previously told you. Investors in the company include T.I., Big Sean, Charles Barkley, Cam Newton, Baron Davis, Tricky Stewart, and Will Packer. In the release, Wilson was optimistic that the company would find a better location. "Our next space will be worthy of what you've given this club. I'm deeply frustrated by this outcome, but as motivated as I've ever been to deliver something better for you."

Blavity Media Group named exclusive sales and activation partner for The Gathering Spot. The collaboration aims to create a new platform connecting brands with some of Black America's most influential professionals through both digital media and private gathering spaces. Blavity Media Group (BMG) and The Gathering Spot (TGS) have entered into an exclusive partnership designed to celebrate and amplify Black excellence. Announced on March 10, BMG has been named the exclusive sales and activation partner for TGS's sponsorship portfolio, AfroTech reported. The collaboration aims to create a new platform connecting brands with some of Black America's most influential professionals through both digital media and private gathering spaces. "The Gathering Spot built physical spaces with the same philosophy we brought to digital media: that Black professionals deserve to be seen fully, not as a demographic, but as a community," said Blavity Inc. CEO and Co-founder, Morgan DeBaun. "Together, we're creating something that reflects how our audience actually lives, online and offline, in content and in community. For brands that want to show up authentically, this is the way in." "Our community lives online and offline. Now our partners and brands can show up in both places authentically," she added in a LinkedIn announcement. The partnership will offer a limited number of sponsorship opportunities, giving brands access to TGS's private membership network of leaders, executives, and founders shaping business, politics, and culture. The organization serves more than 11,000 members across four locations in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Sponsors will also gain perks such as category-exclusive placements across TGS clubs, curated member experiences, and custom on-site activations promoted through BMG's digital platforms - including brands like AfroTech, Blavity, and Travel Noire - which reach more than 32 million monthly users. "From day one, The Gathering Spot has been about what happens when Black people have a space where they're celebrated, not tolerated," said Ryan Wilson, CEO and co-founder of The Gathering Spot. "Our members are building generational wealth, launching companies, and shaping industries. Blavity mirrors these notions across media. This partnership gives brands access to the rooms where those conversations and decisions are happening."