Treasures owners work on reopening

Sito Negron

Friday, Oct. 1, 2004 | 9:39 a.m.

The owners of Treasures, denied a liquor license by the Las Vegas City Council Sept. 15, apparently will fight to stay in Las Vegas. The strip club's general manager said Thursday the owners do not plan to sell and are working on reopening.

"Our lawyers have been working on this since the day we got our license pulled," club general manager Alson Lee said. "We are looking forward to getting the club back open; however, we're not quite ready to finalize any plans yet."

He said the owners are not looking to sell, which would appear to leave only one option.

"I would definitely say it (reopening) would involve court action," Lee said. "Our lawyers are exploring all options and should come to some conclusion in about a week or so."

He would not answer further questions, deferring to Treasures' lawyers, who did not return telephone calls Thursday.

Councilman Michael Mack, who abstained from voting on the Treasures issue because he has a marketing contract with the club, said that while "the owners' intentions are to reopen, I don't know what course of action they're trying to take."

He said that his role is limited to working on a marketing plan for when the club reopens. He said he is on a monthly retainer for consulting services with Treasures.

City officials said they did not know what Treasures would do, although they expect some action.

"We expect something to come forward because there is a valuable investment there," city business licensing manager Jim Difiore said. "(But) I haven't heard or seen anything at this point in time."

Treasures, touted as a $30 million luxury strip club, opened in September 2003 with a temporary liquor license granted after a bitter battle with City Hall in 2001.

The City Council, citing a background inspection that found lawbreaking at the Houston clubs of Treasures' owners, the Davari brothers, balked at giving the license. They agreed to the temporary license when a lawyer for the brothers promised on their behalf that if any lawbreaking occurred at their Las Vegas club, the brothers would surrender the license if asked.

Although that promise was mentioned often, the issue Sept. 15 -- the date the second and final six-month temporary license expired -- was whether the Davari brothers were suitable to hold a privileged license, City Attorney Brad Jerbic told council members.

The council vote was unanimous to deny the liquor license. Mack and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman abstained, Mack because of his contract and Goodman because one of his sons represented Treasures.