Rogich bar license opposed in courts

Erin Neff

Wednesday, April 19, 2000 | 11:16 a.m.

Two weeks after the Las Vegas City Council granted a controversial tavern license to political adviser Sig Rogich, opponents are beginning to show up in the courts.

A lawsuit filed Tuesday in Clark County District Court alleges the council violated the municipal code when it voted earlier this month to grant Ranger Building Corp. the license at Rogich's old office building. At the heart of the dispute is a claim by a nearby building owner that he should have first crack at the permit because his building was home to the previously licensed bar.

The suit, filed on behalf of William Luddecke, claims that the council's action makes his bar site ineligible for a tavern license because it is now within 1,500 feet of Rogich's tavern license.

Another lawsuit, filed in federal court on behalf of Kenn Andrews, alleges Rogich breached a contract to sell him the building and seeks an injunction preventing him from doing so now.

In the Luddecke case, plaintiffs Nevada Space Inc., GMN Associates Limited Liability Company and resident John Lonetti sued the city, Ranger Building Corp. and the four individual council members who approved the license request.

The lawsuit alleges the council "ignored the clear meaning, intent and mandate (of the city's zoning code) and refused to apply the minimum-distance limitation to Ranger's application. ..."

Mayor Oscar Goodman and council members Larry Brown, Lynette Boggs McDonald and Michael Mack were named individually. Councilmen Gary Reese and Lawrence Weekly, who voted against the license application, and Councilman Michael McDonald, who was absent for the vote, were not named.

The suit claims Luddecke's bar site, the former Camilio's Ballroom, may be operated as a tavern by virtue of a special use permit approved in October 1993. Although the city revoked the tavern liquor license at Camilio's in June 1999, the suit alleges the tavern can still be operated due to the special use permit.

By ignoring the Camilio's site in its decision, the suit alleges the council violated the city's own laws.

The suit also alleges Ranger Building Corp.'s successful application for a tavern license will diminish the value of Lonetti's property at 2200 Red Oak Ave.

Luddecke's attorney, Charles Deaner, argued before District Judge Michael Douglas on Tuesday morning seeking a temporary restraining order enjoining the city from suspending his application for a tavern license.

The application was suspended when Luddecke failed to pay certain fees for Metro Police background checks.

In the federal case, Andrews alleges Rogich agreed to sell him the office building at 2805 Westwood Drive for $3.56 million. Andrews claims he paid Rogich a $20,000 deposit in September 1999 and agreed to pay additional deposits of $80,000 when the city approved a tavern license and an additional $400,000 when the city approved a license to operate a topless club at the building.

Rogich could not be reached Tuesday for comment.