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Police Nix Real Life 'Project X' In Westchester County

OSSINING, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police in Westchester County are looking for the organizers of "Project New York," planned as a massive underage drinking party patterned after the teen party fantasy film "Project X."

Would-be party-goers were given directions, admission prices, and even offered rides from the train station to an abandoned factory intended for the revelry before police stepped in this past weekend.

"If it's a big party it's going to attract teenagers. It's our thing," senior Jake Quinn told CBS 2's Lou Young.

"Oh yeah! I was in there!" said high school senior Jack Rodgers.

The factory sits in an industrial park along the railroad tracks up against the Hudson.

"There's no lighting. There is no electricity but there's an open elevator shaft. The stairwells are rusted," said Det. Dan Farrell of the Ossining Police Department.

To kill "Project New York," police used the same weapon that created it -- social media.

"We have our own PBA Facebook page and a lot of parents subscribe to it and that's what we used to get the word out," said Det. Edward Walker.

The project died just hours before it was to launch, but not before some of the party-goers were already in motion.

"We turned away probably close to 100 kids from throughout Westchester, Brooklyn and the Tri-State Area," said Farrell.

Canceled or not, some teens told CBS 2 the planned concept remains an attractive one.

"To the general public, maybe not, but to a bunch of teenagers in high school, it sounds like a great idea," Quinn said.

Detectives say they think the party organizers were actually in business, planning to charge admission and sell drinks during the illegal bash.

Police will continue to monitor Internet sites for organizers of the next "Project X."

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