Council postpones decision on new massage studios

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

Five days after Henderson closed down three massage establishments accused of offering prostitution, the City Council postponed enacting a ban on new stand-alone studios.

The council was expected to approve the ban Tuesday but delayed a vote after city staff said they are studying alternatives for keeping prostitution out of the community.

A sting operation conducted between May and July 2004 uncovered alleged prostitution at four of the six stand-lone massage studios. On May 3 the council revoked the operating licenses of three of those businesses, and Thursday the city ordered them to close.

Assistant City Attorney Liza Conroy said staff requested the delay after massage therapists made suggestions on how to keep out prostitution without banning studios.

Conroy said the city may be able to thwart prostitution by having strict licensing requirements for those businesses, such has limiting their hours, restricting advertising and requiring therapists have extensive training at accredited schools. Such requirements for training had kept home massage visits aboveboard, Conroy said.

"We have legitimate people who want to provide a service to the community," Conroy said. "We need to control the illegal aspects, and we are getting there."

The proposed ordinance didn't target massage therapy offered in hotels, day spas, doctor's offices and home visits.

The council decision to delay enacting the ban was applauded by Steve Cook, who opened the city's seventh stand-alone massage studio in April. He said he's looking to sell franchises for the national chain, Massage Envy, and that a ban would be devastating.

"There are other ways to resolve the situation so that it will not prevent legitimate businesses from operating in the city of Henderson," Cook said.

One alternative is requiring stand-alone studios be part of a national franchise, Cook said.

On Thursday the city shut down Relax Spa & Massage, 256 E. Lake Mead Parkway; Henderson Oriental Massage at 1006 W. Sunset Road; and Sunset Spa & Foot Massage, 4451 E. Sunset Road.

Las Vegas attorney James "Bucky" Buchanan, who represents Relax Spa & Massage, said his client decided not to appeal the revocation in District Court. Buchanan said the business was barely breaking even and didn't want to spend any more money fighting the case.

"He has decided not to appeal and throw in the towel," Buchanan said. "He doesn't have the resources to fight it in court when he has a marginal business."

The attorneys for the other massage studios said they planned to appeal.