HAYWARD — A burst of big city night life has careened into mellow downtown Hayward. Hundreds of partygoers from across the Bay Area poured into the spacious new Latin nightclub Kumbala on its opening weekend.
"This whole area will be back to life," boasted club owner Alex Aguilar. "We spent a lot of money to make this building look good and give the city of Hayward what it deserves."
Youthful crowds lined up along a Foothill Boulevard sidewalk as they waited to dance to the sounds of Latin house and reggaeton on Friday night.
On Saturday night, Kumbala hosted live bands performing Mexican country music.
And on Sunday afternoon and evening, a mariachi group played for diners who arrived to eat fajitas or taste some of Aguilar's selection of a few hundred tequilas.
Aguilar said he hopes Kumbala, named after a pop song, inspires a new era of Hayward entertainment.
"I got a lot of comments from people who said, 'Thank you, we don't have to drive to San Francisco anymore,'" he said.
The club occupies a former department store building on Foothill Boulevard and contains
14,000 square feet of floor space.
It can hold about 470 people. The dance floor has 20-foot high ceilings and views overlooking San Lorenzo Creek.
Hayward City Manager Jesus Armas said he stopped by the new nightclub on Saturday night and was impressed.
"It was well-attended, a very good crowd," Armas said. "Very good security, and people were well-behaved."
"This whole area will be back to life," boasted club owner Alex Aguilar. "We spent a lot of money to make this building look good and give the city of Hayward what it deserves."
Youthful crowds lined up along a Foothill Boulevard sidewalk as they waited to dance to the sounds of Latin house and reggaeton on Friday night.
On Saturday night, Kumbala hosted live bands performing Mexican country music.
And on Sunday afternoon and evening, a mariachi group played for diners who arrived to eat fajitas or taste some of Aguilar's selection of a few hundred tequilas.
Aguilar said he hopes Kumbala, named after a pop song, inspires a new era of Hayward entertainment.
"I got a lot of comments from people who said, 'Thank you, we don't have to drive to San Francisco anymore,'" he said.
The club occupies a former department store building on Foothill Boulevard and contains
14,000 square feet of floor space.
It can hold about 470 people. The dance floor has 20-foot high ceilings and views overlooking San Lorenzo Creek.
Hayward City Manager Jesus Armas said he stopped by the new nightclub on Saturday night and was impressed.
"It was well-attended, a very good crowd," Armas said. "Very good security, and people were well-behaved."
