Las Vegas to rule on second Galardi license

Sito Negron

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004 | 11:03 a.m.

The Las Vegas City Council will consider its second disciplinary action involving a Michael Galardi liquor license Wednesday, when it is to rule on a complaint filed against the Blue Heaven Bar on East Charleston Boulevard.

The matter is not expected to generate the level of discussion that a similar complaint did Jan. 7, when the city levied its largest fine ever against a club that had been partly owned by Michael Galardi.

In the case of the Blue Heaven, "it's an inactive license and I don't think we'll have any problem getting it revoked," said Councilman Gary Reese, whose district includes the bar at 2025 E. Charleston Blvd.

The Jan. 7 complaint was against a license Michael Galardi held as part owner of La Fuente Inc., which operated the topless club Cheetahs. He sold his share to his father Jack Galardi in October, but the city still levied a $1.095 million fine for violations of the terms of the license for the period in which Michael Galardi was a part-owner.

Jack Galardi was given 30 days to pay the fine. It hadn't been paid as of Monday. Michael Galardi was not fit to hold that license, the City Council decided, because of his guilty plea to federal corruption charges in San Diego.

The younger Galardi was accused of paying off a police officer and several San Diego council members, seeking favorable treatment and ordinances that would benefit his club there, also called Cheetahs.

The Las Vegas Cheetahs is a topless club where alcohol is served. Under city rules, a licensee is subject to discipline if a principal has committed criminal acts in the same or a similar business.

The same sort of concerns led county officials to pull the license for the strip club Jaguars, although that club may reopen and begin serving alcohol as soon as today if commissioners approve month-by-month liquor licenses for the club. The license would go to a company leasing from club owner Jack Galardi, who also is seeking a liquor license for the Pink Pony.

When the Las Vegas City Council levied the million-dollar fine Jan. 7, it deciding against pulling the club's license. Revoking the license had been urged by Councilwoman Janet Moncrief, in whose Ward 1 Cheetahs is located.

"I don't think this will be a big issue," Moncrief said of the Blue Heaven license. "But as always, I think any license owned by Michael Galardi should be revoked."