City eyes stripper licenses

By Timothy Pratt

Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2002 | 11:21 a.m.

Strippers in Las Vegas clubs may soon have to pay for a yearly license.

The business licenses would replace work cards currently required and would raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the city, officials said.

The licensing bill will be introduced at the Dec. 4 meeting of the Las Vegas City Council. It is an idea that has been floated since last year by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and other city officials.

Dancers would have to pay $150 and the cost of a one-time background check by Metro Police under the proposed ordinance.

The current work cards cost $35 each and require background checks every five years when the cards are renewed. Background checks currently cost $150, but there is a possibility that less comprehensive checks could be used with the licenses, bringing down their cost, said Jim Difiore, business services manager for the city.

The licenses also would make the dancers independent contractors, allowing them to choose where they work. Currently, Metro can restrict work cards to specific locations if a dancer has a criminal background. Under the new system, Metro would have to make compelling arguments to the city for licenses to be tied to one club, Difiore said.

City Finance Director Mark Vincent sponsored the ordinance. Based on an estimated number of 1,000 to 5,000 dancers working in Las Vegas, the licenses could raise from $150,000 to $750,000 for the city.