Restraining order for adult-oriented business rejected

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1999 | 11:45 a.m.

District Judge Nancy Saitta denied a request Tuesday from the owner of an adult business for a temporary restraining order that would have forced the county to permit erotic dancing and an adult arcade at the business.

Both a restraining order and a request for a preliminary injunction sought by Omar Aldabbagh, the new owner of the Pure Pleasure Adult Video and Arcade at 3177 S. Highland Drive, were rejected by Saitta.

Clark County Deputy District Attorney Kathleen Janssen said briefs now will be filed by the county and by Aldabbagh's attorney concerning a writ of mandamus Aldabbagh requested.

The writ, if successful, would force the county Business License Department to grant Aldabbagh the two licenses he requested.

Ardel Jorgensen, head of the department, said the issue is the result of a change in ownership earlier this year in the business formerly owned by Gary Enea.

"The new owner (Aldabbagh) had to file for various licenses that are adult in nature," Jorgensen said. "He qualified for some and not for others."

Jorgensen said ownership of licensees are not transferable and so Aldabbagh had to qualify for the same licenses Enea holds.

"I was able to grant the new owner licenses to operate some adult activities and not others," she said.

Aldabbagh was granted licenses to sell adult novelties, videos and books as well as soft drinks, tobacco and similar items, but he was not granted a license that would have granted totally nude dancing on the premises or a license that would have allowed him to operate an arcade -- which is a part of the business set aside for a number of booths where videos may be watched.

Jorgensen said Tuesday's 9 a.m. hearing was an attempt to force her to allow Aldabbagh to operate the two adult activities for which she would not give him a license.

She said the requests for the two licenses were denied following a background check of the applicant. She declined to say what was in his background that made him ineligible for the licenses.

Jorgensen said when Enea sold the business to Aldabbagh, Enea continued to run it under his own licenses until the completion of the background check on Aldabbagh.

When the background check was completed, Enea was required to quit.

Jorgensen said there also is a zoning issue involved in the case.

Because of a remodeling of the interior of the facility, she said the business could not pass zoning requirements for the two licenses.

Pure Pleasure made headlines in 1993 during the Consumer Electronic Show when 14 porno stars were arrested during what police called a live sex show.

A tent had been set up behind the adult business and more than 800 people attended a show that included performances by a number of adult film stars.

Many of the stars engaged in sexual activity among themselves and with members of the audience.