After Crobar closed, a bidding war from outside sources promised to pump money into remodeling and reopening the space under its original moniker, Cameo. So, who was bidding? The Opium Group, of course, fighting dollar to dollar with none other than the man who reinvented downtown, Louis Puig, owner of Cameo and Space nightclub. Puig ultimately won that battle.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when our undercover agents divulged that the Opium Group was again looking to buy Cameo, just months after it opened. That tip seemed a bit off, but well within the realm of possibility, given the Group’s penchant for acquiring every piece of real estate in clubland. So, despite her utter contempt for The 411, I called Vanessa Menkes, VP of communication for the Opium Group, yet again, and asked her, “What’s the dilly, yo?”

The spin control maven declined to comment.

Hmmm, this added some credibility to the rumor and admittedly left me a little perplexed. Could it be true that after a few short months with nightclub heavyweights like Puig, David Grutman and Emi Guerra working behind the velvet ropes, Cameo would become just another red hotel on the Opium Group’s monopoly board?

We had to know. So, we went right to the source and asked Mr. Puig via e-mail if the Opium Group was indeed posturing to buy Cameo.

“No, actually, we are buying Opium Gardens,” Puig said, referring to one of Opium Group’s nightspots. Five minutes later, he e-mailed me again and added, “And Set, too!”

Now we were confounded.

“Is it a done deal?” we inquired.

“It’s about as done as the [Opium Group] buying Cameo deal,” replied Puig, alluding to the fluid state of any unconsummated deal.

So what does the Group stand to gain by selling off Opium Gardens and Set? They had no comment, but if you ask Puig, he’ll tell you, “It’s all a ploy to put the competition out of business.”

We’re sure we haven’t heard the last of this.

R.I.P. Donda West

Why is it only the good (looking) die young? Sadly, last week, the English professor, author and, most notably, Kanye West’s mom, Donda West, passed away due to complications from plastic surgery. Apparently the odds of that happening are about 50,000-to-1, which of course is inequitable given that the celebrity mom was one in a million. A far cry from the stage mother, alcohol-fueled antics of other celeb moms (think Lohan and Spears), Donda West was a university professor who was heartbroken when her rapper son dropped out of college. Mother and son had an incredible relationship, even appearing onstage together, and she eventually came to terms with Kanye’s lack of education. Later, Momma West left her university position to run a nonprofit organization that combats high school dropout rates.

Now, an incredible lady is gone. She not only left this realm and our company, but also left us with the idiots winning. The 411’s heart goes out to Kanye, who flew back from his UK tour to deal with the tragedy.

Spotted:

The Brad Pitt of France, Oliver Martinez, was chilling by the pool at the Delano on Friday and then again at Social Miami at the Sagamore on Saturday.

Stephen “Born Again” Baldwin possibly praying on Sunday at the 22nd Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival wrap party.

Showing Big Love for couture, Chloe Sevigny was at C. Madeleine's on Thursday afternoon.

Her Basic Instinct is to grant your wishes, so Sharon Stone was at the Hotel InterContinental along with nightlife impresario Shareef Malnik on Saturday for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.