Rogich’s waiting game will continue

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2001 | 11:34 a.m.

Sig Rogich will have to wait another month to learn the fate of his bid to hand over a tavern license to two businessmen.

The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday abeyed a vote on the tavern license for one month, a move that should allow the original 2000 license vote to have its day in court.

Rogich's Ranger Building Corp. is seeking to transfer the tavern license at 2801 Westwood Drive to Ali and Hassan Davari of Houston. The brothers have a number of topless clubs in the Houston area and are seeking to turn Rogich's former office building into a topless club called The Boardroom.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed last year by Nevada Space Inc. alleged the council should never have licensed the building for a tavern when Rogich came before them last year.

The suit alleges the tavern license should not have been granted because the Rogich building was within 1,500 feet of another tavern.

At the time the council went against the advice of City Attorney Brad Jerbic in granting the license.

District Court Judge Jeffrey Sobel is expected to rule within 45 days on the Nevada Space Inc. lawsuit.

The Rogich matter has created more than its share of controversy -- creating ethics troubles for City Councilman Michael McDonald.

McDonald was found guilty by the city's Ethics Review Board of working behind the scenes by ordering city staff to conduct new measurements from the Rogich building to other taverns nearby.

He faces the same complaint before the Nevada Ethics Commission next month.

In the lawsuit, Nevada Space -- the new owners of a former bar called Camilio's Ballroom -- allege Rogich's license should not have been granted because Camilio's was within 1,500 feet of the building.

Camilio's license, however, had lapsed due to the death of the bar's owner and tavern license holder. The council voted 4-2 that Rogich should be allowed to have a tavern license because Camilio's license was not valid.

The council will next consider the tavern license Feb. 7.