Columnist Jeff German: Prostitution allegations embarrass strip club operator

Friday, July 13, 2001 | 4:18 a.m.

Jeff German is the Sun's senior investigative reporter. He can be reached at (702) 259-4067 or by e-mail at german@lasvegassun.com

THE OLYMPIC Garden is one of the finer topless clubs in town.

Just ask former Las Vegas Constable Bob Nolen, who got into trouble a couple of years ago for spending more time with the club's "Dreamgirls" than his own office employees.

Olympic Garden owner Pete Eliades, who has an ideal combination of political clout and sharp entrepreneurial skills, is regarded as one of the gentlemen of the lucrative adult nightclub industry. He plays by the rules and doesn't like to rock the boat.

But last week Eliades found himself in hot water with the state Gaming Control Board when he showed up with his high-powered lawyer, Frank Schreck, seeking to modify his license to operate 13 slot machines at the popular strip joint.

It seems that some of the Dreamgirls have been sharpening their business skills away from the dance floor in recent months.

A routine background investigation on Eliades, conducted by the Control Board's enforcement division, found that seven dancers have been arrested at the Olympic Garden on prostitution-related charges since February 1999.

That was seven too many for board member Bobby Siller, a straight-laced former FBI agent, who told the well-connected Eliades at a hearing last week that his license could be in jeopardy.

Siller also voiced concern about a pay website affiliated with Olympic Garden that displays nude photos of beautiful women.

Thumbnails of "Alanna" and "Alexii" caught my eye while checking out the site in the line of duty.

Siller told Eliades at the hearing that he didn't appreciate the fact that children could gain access to the photos.

That further demonstrated in his mind that the Olympic Garden hasn't been upholding the high moral standards gaming regulators require for licensees.

"They're serious issues and they're within the realm of consideration for disciplinary action," Siller said.

Eliades got the message and promptly withdrew his license application so that he could try to make things right with the Control Board.

The board, however, decided to ask the attorney general to take a closer look at the operations of the Olympic Garden with an eye on filing a complaint against the club.

If a complaint is filed, Eliades could face a fine or even be stripped of his right to operate the slot machines.

For his part, Eliades said he's embarrassed by what the board turned up.

"I'm glad they brought it to my attention," he said. "We need to sit down with them and if it's true, we will correct it. They don't have to tell me twice."

The personable topless club owner, who also has a stake in the city's largest taxicab company, Yellow-Checker-Star, added that he's already taking steps to disassociate the Olympic Gardens from the X-rated website.

As for the prostitution allegations, he insisted that there has been none of that going on at the club but that he plans to conduct his own internal investigation.

Eliades said he will have zero tolerance if it turns out that some of his Dreamgirls indeed have been busted for turning tricks.

"I'm against prostitution," he said.

At the same time, he explained, "I'm willing to pay for my mistakes."

Those are words Bobby Siller and the Gaming Control Board probably want to hear.

The 2002 district attorney's race just got more exciting. David Roger, the lead prosecutor in the Ted Binion murder case, has jumped into the contest. Roger, a member of the district attorney's Major Violators Unit, should be a formidable candidate.