Club inspected after Rodman crash

Sito Negron

Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003 | 11:22 a.m.

When Metro Police and a Las Vegas business license inspector paid a visit Friday to the topless club Treasures to encourage it to be more cooperative with authorities, they were surprised to run into Las Vegas City Councilman Michael Mack.

The officers and the inspector were at the club to discuss the problems authorities encountered last week when investigating former NBA star Dennis Rodman's motorcycle wreck in the parking lot of the club.

Present at the meeting were the club's senior management, the owner -- who was on speaker phone -- and for part of the time Ward 6 Councilman Mack.

Mack's consulting company, Mack Consulting LLC, handles marketing and public relations for Treasures. He said it was just a coincidence that he showed up at the club when the Metro and city officials were there.

Mack said he was there to check on a promotion in which street magician Jimmy Luv is purporting to stay in a coffin-size acrylic box without food or water for 10 days.

"Customarily I walk up and talk to the managers (to see) if anything is needed from a public relations standpoint," Mack said.

Press releases for Treasures are being sent out under the name of MK2, an advertising and public relations company. Mack said he is not a part owner of the group but operates as a subcontractor.

Mack, who declined to divulge the amount of his contract, said when he realized the officers and a city employee were discussing the Rodman incident with club management, he left.

"I was as surprised to see everyone when I walked in as probably they were," Mack said. "That's why I took off pretty immediately."

Metro Undersheriff Doug Gillespie said his officers reported that Mack did not interfere in any way during the meeting, which lasted between 15 and 20 minutes. He said his officers told him that Mack came in after the meeting had started, and stayed "the duration of the meeting."

Mack said he might have left just as the meeting broke up.

"They could have left right after," he said.

Gillespie said he could not comment on whether it was appropriate for Mack to be present.

"That's a choice the councilman has to make," Gillespie said. "I feel confident our officers out there handled themselves appropriately. The fact that a city councilman was there had no effect on them performing their duties."

He said the meeting was called because "the level of cooperation at Treasures that morning (after the Rodman accident) was less than what we would consider to be appropriate."

He said the employees at the Friday meeting agreed to cooperate more fully in the future, but would not elaborate on the exact nature of the initial non-cooperation.

At the meeting were "key employees," Gillespie said. Club owner David Davari participated via teleconference, Gillespie said.

Gillespie said some dancers were cited for violations of the city's exotic dancing ordinance, but he could not say exactly what they did.

Rodman crashed a motorcycle, borrowed from a club employee, shortly before 9 a.m. Oct. 19, police said. He received treatment for cuts on his legs, and also was charged with drunken driving. He was treated at University Medical Center and is to appear in court three to five weeks from the accident, police said.