Jack Galardi hospitalized; license hearing postponed

Launce Rake

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005 | 10:32 a.m.

A hearing on the suitability of multi-state strip-club owner Jack Galardi for a license in Clark County was postponed this morning because Galardi was hospitalized the day before.

Dominic Gentile, Galardi's attorney, produced a letter from Dr. Charles Ruggeroli that attested to Galardi's hospitalization Monday for cellulitis, a potentially serious skin infection usually caused by staphylococcus bacteria. The Clark County Commission voted 5-0 for a one-month delay of the hearing on Galardi's suitability to run Leopards Lounge.

Galardi is the father of Michael Galardi, who agreed two years ago to cooperate with federal investigators who have tied him to alleged payments to local officials in California and Nevada, including at least four sitting or former Clark County commissioners.

After the indictments, Jack Galardi bought out his son's three local clubs -- Leopard Lounge, Jaguars and Cheetahs -- and still runs Cheetahs within the Las Vegas city limits. The city fined the elder Galardi $1 million but allowed him to continue running Cheetahs.

Because of state law, however, the county only has the power to approve or deny the license, not levy a similar fine, according to county officials.

In January, the County Commission allowed Jack Galardi to continue to own a building on Procyon Street that is home to Jaguars, another strip club. Former Metro Police Officers Randy Miller and Richard Gonzales run that business.

Jack Galardi is an absentee landlord without direct involvement in the operation of the club, representatives for Miller and Gonzales assured commissioners last month.

Gonzales and Miller took over operation of Jaguars in January 2004. Leopards and Jaguars have been operating on month-to-month extensions from the county since January 2004.

Gentile, at the hearing last month before the county commission, noted that it took a year for Metro to gather information in the department's report on Jack Galardi's suitability, and he asked for at least 60 days for Galardi's team to do its own investigation.

The commission gave him 30 days.

Issues in the Metro report could include the arrest of employees at Galardi's clubs in Florida on prostitution-related charges.

Gentile said he was prepared to ask for more time to complete the Galardi counter-investigation, but was forced to ask for an extension of time because of the hospitalization.

"We have not been able to thoroughly investigate," Gentile said. "I was prepared to seek an extension of time today for that purpose alone."

Gentile was also prepared, if necessary, to defend his client if the hearing had gone forward. He had an electronic presentation prepared to present to the county commission. With the granting of the extension of time, Gentile did not make the presentation.

He declined to discuss what the electronic presentation would have included.

"You've gotta pay the price of admission for that," Gentile said.