Another nude bar faces fine

Denise Cardinal

Friday, March 20, 1998 | 10:03 a.m.

For the third time in the past four months, the City of Las Vegas is disciplining a nude dance establishment for illegally allowing alcohol in its doors.

Talk of the Town, 1238 Las Vegas Boulevard South, is a nude dancing and pornographic video establishment that is being brought before the Las Vegas City Council at Monday's meeting.

The city attorney's office alleges that during several covert inspections conducted by the city's business licensing division, it was discovered that patrons of Talk of the Town were allowed to bring alcohol into the establishment.

Earlier this month, Club Erotica was fined $50,000 for illegally allowing the consumption of alcohol. In December, the erotic dance club Little Darlings also was fined $50,000 on the same charges.

Both fines against the clubs were spearheaded by City Councilman Michael McDonald, a Metro Police officer who represents the ward the erotic dance clubs are in.

"We just want you to follow the law," McDonald told the owners of Club Erotica at the last City Council meeting. "If you want to serve liquor, then apply for a liquor license."

But not everyone is pleased with McDonald's crusade.

Robert Kossack, an attorney who at one time represented the Southern Nevada First Amendment Entertainment Association, said he thinks the city is getting a bit out of hand.

"That's what you call roasting the goose that lays the golden eggs," Kossack said. "They're trying to maneuver for political power, thinking that the people of the city are high faluttin' and moral. This is a gambling, drinking and womanizing town and that's the way it should stay -- an adult town."