Southampton pulls plug on estate used for party events

Southampton Town shut down a lavish party planned at a Bridgehampton estate this weekend because a company has been illegally operating the property as a commercial space, town officials said Tuesday.

Town Attorney Tiffany Scarlato said she obtained a temporary restraining order Friday preventing Manhattan-based Stadiumred from hosting a three-day party for another company, IvyConnect, at the 772 Middle Line Hwy. house known as the Stadiumred Estate.

"The party is over," Scarlato said. "Friday afternoon, they were served with notices informing them the property could not be used as a commercial enterprise. It was a single-family residence."

Actor Kevin Sorbo, who portrayed Hercules in a 1990s television series, owns the estate with his family and allows Stadiumred to operate there. The 12,500-square-foot house sits on 5 acres overlooking a pond, according to real estate listings.

In court papers, Southampton said Stadiumred has been using the house illegally as a party venue, including for a wedding in June. The town and the company are due back in state Supreme Court in Riverhead on Sept. 5 to discuss the town's complaint.

Stadiumred founder Claude Zdanow said Tuesday that he did not know IvyConnect was selling tickets for the party and that he cooperated with the town once he found out.

He said Stadiumred has hosted legal, private parties at the estate for three years, including charity benefits. Zdanow said the June wedding was for a family friend of his.

IvyConnect representatives did not answer requests for comment Tuesday. The company relocated its party to an estate at 1 Wireless Way in Southampton, where code enforcement officers cited the owner for hosting a commercial event at a residence, Scarlato said.

A Saturday benefit raised money for Building Blocks for Change, a nonprofit that builds infrastructure in developing countries. It was hosted by singer Natalia Kills and sponsored by Cadillac, according to emails to guests.