Storey wonders about Mustang

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999 | 11:08 a.m.

Commissioners held a second meeting Tuesday to weigh their options on how to weather the loss of the state's largest brothel, which generated an estimated $233,000 in license fee revenue for the county.

One option would be outlawing prostitution entirely, though none of the three commissioners has shown much support for that extreme measure.

Commissioner Greg "Bum" Hess said he and state Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, are discussing possibly setting up a special tax assessment for the property that the federal government seized from A.G.E. Corp., which owned the ranch. Hess said such a tax would help bring the county an income no matter what the federal government does with the property.

"Everybody thinks it's a great idea," he said. "The only problem we've run into is getting the federal government to pay taxes."

Commission Chairman Chuck Haynes also questioned whether the federal government actually owns the A.G.E. land it seized. He said any land in federal possession must be placed there by the Nevada Legislature.

"I don't know what kind of ownership they will have," Haynes said. "It is in Storey County. It is in Nevada. It is not federal property."

Brothel lobbyist George Flint said he has heard hints that the federal government may not ban brothels on the A.G.E. property or destroy the structures after all, as was threatened in the weeks before the seizure.

"I don't think they will come here for a demolition permit," Flint told commissioners.

Flint said an A.G.E. attorney plans to file an appeal by Sept. 1 that will have "explosive things that will get the attention of the court."