Editorial: Council’s about-face

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 | 8:50 a.m.

The strip club Treasures reopened this week after it got its liquor license back from the Las Vegas City Council. The license, essential to a topless club's survival, had been revoked in September after one of the club's dancers was convicted of soliciting for prostitution. But last month a District Court judge overturned the conviction, ruling that city prosecutors had failed to show that the dancer actually intended to have sex with an undercover police officer. The reason why the club's owners, Ali Davari and Hassan Davari, had lost their liquor license for a single violation was because the license's conditions were strict. In 2001 the City Council approved the license only after a Treasures attorney promised that the club wouldn't oppose any efforts to revoke its license if there were even one conviction of soliciting prostitution.

A "one strike and you're out" clause might seem tough, especially considering the type of business that the Davaris operate, but it was warranted in this case. The Davaris almost didn't receive the license at all because of their past. Las Vegas Metro Police said the Houston strip clubs operated by the Davaris had a history of prostitution and drug use. Further, there have been allegations of irregular banking practices in the strip clubs operated by the Davaris, leading to a money laundering investigation in Texas.

The vote to give the Davaris back their license was close -- 3-2. City Council members Larry Brown, Gary Reese and Lawrence Weekly voted to grant the license. Reese and Weekly cited bringing to an end the club's federal lawsuit against the city as a reason to reopen the club, while Brown said Treasures has proved itself worthy of a liquor license during the year it was in operation. The two most recent members of the City Council, Steve Wolfson and Lois Tarkanian, voted against the license. Wolfson cited past and current problems associated with the Davari clubs, including an apparent disregard of erotic dance codes, and Tarkanian noted the allegation of irregular banking practices by the Houston clubs. (Two members of the City Council abstained from Wednesday's vote -- Mayor Oscar Goodman, because his son represents the club as an attorney, and Councilman Michael Mack, who is a consultant for the club.)

While we can understand the City Council considering a bid by Treasures to open again, because the solicitation conviction has been overturned, it is troubling that no special conditions were imposed this time for the Davaris' license as there were before. Namely, there is no requirement that the liquor license be forfeited if there is a prostitution-related conviction. Yes, the previous license requirements were tough, but they were justified. Such an about-face shows just how weak the City Council is in regulating strip clubs.