.CLUB HQ trashed by Irma, nobody hurt
.CLUB Domains returned to its new digs in Fort Lauderdale, Florida yesterday to find the building trashed by hurricane Irma.
Fortunately, none of the .club gTLD registry’s 17 employees were hurt during Irma, the category 5 hurricane which lashed Florida over the weekend.
Irma caused at least 10 reported deaths in the state and untold amounts of property damage. Over its full path, close to 50 people have been reported killed.
Chief marketing officer Jeff Sass said that “large parts of the roof had been torn away, exposing our office to devastating wind and rain, pretty much ruining everything”.
“Literally, it looks like a bomb went off. I couldn’t believe the damage. It’s truly a sad day for our company. We feel for everyone affected by this horrible storm and we are very fortunate as all our staff are safe,” CEO Colin Campbell said in a blog post.
Ironically, the building had been scheduled for a refurbishment anyway.
.CLUB plans to use the facility as a tech startup incubator under the brand Startups.club. It had recently been approved for funding by the local Fort Lauderdale government, according to Sass.
None of the company’s registry operations, which are based hundreds of miles north in Virginia, were affected by the damage.
Fellow new gTLD registry MMX is legally based in the thoroughly devastated British Virgin Islands, but has no staff or premises there so was unaffected.
Domain Name Wire is reporting that some registry functions of Anguilla’s .ai ccTLD, also in Irma’s path, were not working in its wake.
Photo: .CLUB Domains
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Wow sorry about the damage but glad everyone is safe!
Thanks Mark. Many in Florida and Texas have fared far worse. Everyone is safe.
Welcome ClimateRefugees.club !
Being serious, glad to hear that all employees are well and safe.
Thanks Ludovic. It is just stuff (and the building) that was ruined. We, too, are glad everyone is safe.
Very sorry to hear. Glad all are safe. Hope you guys get on your feet again soon.
Thanks, Rick! Hope you and yours made out ok. It is an inconvenience, but it could have been much worse. Thanks again.
Good to hear you all are safe…
Looking forward to hearing more about
Startups.club
~Patricia in Ohio and GUMPY.CLUB (smile)