New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday, Nov. 13, appointed Eric Thor, a former co-chair of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), as director of the Office of Nightlife. The head of an industry group said he was taken aback that the advisory board had not been consulted.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday that he is appointing Eric Thor, a former co-chair of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), as director of the city's Office of Nightlife. The post is often called the "nightlife mayor."
According to the New York Post, Mamdani said in a statement that Thor will focus on improving working conditions for nightlife workers, streamlining the permitting process for small events and strengthening the CURE (Coordinating a United Resolution with Establishments) program, launched in 2024. CURE was created to end the decades-old practice of city enforcement sweeps of venues late at night.
Thor's salary has not been disclosed. A job posting the city published earlier this year, however, listed a salary cap of $151,101. Jeffrey Garcia, who directed the office under former Mayor Eric Adams, also earned $151,101 a year. The Office of Nightlife was created under a law former Mayor Bill de Blasio signed in 2017. The director serves as a liaison among club owners, residents and city agencies, and works with the 12-member Nighttime Advisory Board.
Complaints from the hospitality industry followed soon after the appointment. Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, told Gothamist he felt blindsided by the announcement. Rigie also chairs the Office of Nightlife's advisory board, and he called it "bizarre" that the board had not been contacted at all.