Tales of the Cocktail, a Troubled Event, May Have a Savior

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Tales of the Cocktail, the annual New Orleans convention that over the last 15 years has became a required whistle stop for people in the bar and spirits business, has recently been in danger of dissolution amid rancor and controversy.

But it may have found a savior in a new owner. The Solomon family, a prominent civic and philanthropic force in New Orleans, has signed a nonbinding letter of intent to buy the festival from Ann Tuennerman, the organization’s founder, and her husband, Paul Tuennerman. If the transaction proceeds, the convention will run as scheduled in July — something many people had begun to doubt.

Following years of steady growth and expansion, Tales of the Cocktail hit a bump last March after the Tuennermans, who are white, donned blackface as guests in the Zulu Mardi Gras parade on Feb. 28. Mr. Tuennerman then made what some perceived as racially insensitive remarks in a Facebook Live video; he was compelled to apologize and then step down.

When Ms. Tuennerman tried to reinstate her husband in September, reaction within the industry was swift. Both Tuennermans resigned within days.

The Solomons began talking with the Tuennermans in November about taking over the event, Gary Solomon Jr. said.

The Solomon family has deep roots in local entertainment. Its patriarch, Theodore Solomon, once owned a string of movie theaters across Louisiana, Mississippi and other states. After divesting themselves of that empire, the family members ventured into philanthropy, collaborating extensively with local schools, museums and government.

Solomon Group, an entertainment design firm co-founded by Gary Solomon Jr. in 2009, has worked with Tales for years, assisting on various events, including the annual Spirited Awards, which honor bar professionals.

The Solomons turned to Neal Bodenheimer, the owner of Cure, a prominent New Orleans cocktail bar, for guidance in better understanding the drinks world. “We knew we needed a partner who could bring an industry perspective,” Mr. Solomon said.

Mr. Bodenheimer, whose family has lived in New Orleans since the late 1800s, had been busy searching for a way to keep Tales in the city. “I was very concerned what the loss of Tales would mean to the local community,” he said.

In an email message on Friday, Ms. Tuennerman said she had received inquiries from nearly two dozen parties interested in taking over the event. She would not disclose the dollar amount of the sale, but added: “We did not accept the highest offer. There were other factors that were more important. Paul and I believe that Solomon and Bodenheimer will be the best stewards of the brands and share the same values as us.”

Tales has been criticized for its slowness in responding to social ills that surround the drinks world, such as substance abuse, sexual harassment and assault, and a lack of diversity. Mr. Bodenheimer and Mr. Solomon said they want to change that, and plan to set up a diverse panel of bar and spirits professionals to determine who should receive charitable grants.

“We need to find a way to give bartenders better access to education,” Mr. Bodenheimer said. “We need to take care of attendees. We’re going to work on some of the big issues that face our industry.”

“We want the industry to know what is the future of Tales,” Mr. Solomon said.