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Friday, Aug. 14, 2009 | 1 p.m.
Sun Archives
- Third time a charm for Privé’s liquor license? (8-14-2009)
- Former Prive workers blast handling of tips (8-10-2009)
- Is the party over for Prive? (7-29-2009)
- Prive enlists lawyer with connections in fight for liquor license (7-29-2009)
- Former Privé security director speaks out (7-29-2009)
- Is the party over for Prive? (7-29-09)
- Prive enlists lawyer with connections in fight for liquor license (7-29-09)
- County rejects Prive's appeal for temporary license (7-28-2009)
- Big fine establishes hard line on nightclubs (7-27-2009)
- Liquor license rejections force Planet Hollywood clubs to close (7-23-2009)
- Next to gaming board, other enforcers look like pushovers (7-15-2009)
- Planet Hollywood to pay $750,000 fine over Prive (7-12-2009)
Just days before Privé’s scheduled Aug. 18 appearance before the County Commission, representatives withdrew their appeals of the club’s liquor license denial on Thursday.
“The representatives advised the Department of Business License of changes in the ownership of Privé Las Vegas, LLC,” said Clark County public information officer Dan Kulin, “and submitted applications for liquor licenses evidencing the changes in ownership, along with the appointment of a new management team, key employees and requests for temporary licenses.”
In a process that could take as little as a few weeks or much longer, department staff is reviewing the applications, which include the appointment letters and Metro background checks of proposed new key employees.
Jim Reding on Thursday confirmed having been tapped by Opium Group to assume control of the nightclub. “We’re still in the process of getting the license back and drawing up all the necessary contracts,” Reding said.
Also filling out a Metro background check to accompany his letter of appointment is Mansion nightclub manager Orlando Oquendo (formerly of Light Group and Pure Management Group) and current Privé director of security David Hicks. Hicks worked as second in command to Privé’s then-security director Ron Lyons, who was cited in two violations Privé received from the county. He is reputed to be a former U.S. Marshal but that is not included in his work history, which states only that he has no military background and that he was at one time a personal trainer and ran an after school program.
Chief among the causes for the search for these new key employees was the July 28 removal of the former key employees, Greg Jarmolowich and Frank Tucker, by department of business license director Jacqueline Holloway.
Secondly, Privé Vegas LLC’s 2009 annual report, filed on Aug. 10, confirms that managing partner Justin Levine has either stepped down or was removed as a partner in the company that owned and operated Privé Nightclub. Additionally, the sole membership of J. Levine Investments, LLC was transferred from Levine on Aug. 5, 2009, to Opium Group leader Roman Jones. The entity was also then renamed Privé Vegas Investors, LLC.
This abdication now leaves Privé Nightclub entirely in the hands of two non-residents: Jones and Opium Group senior advisor/investor Mitchell Rubinson, who was added to the partnership via the Aug. 10 filing just as Levine was being removed.
According to the Department of Business License, an owner doesn't have to be involved in the day-to-day management of the business; he or she can live outside the state, hence the need for resident key employees who pass Metro background checks.
These latest actions take Privé nightclub and the Living Room lounge back to the beginning, to where the company was about this time three years ago, applying for a permanent liquor license and, in the mean time, a temporary one. Though that temporary license might also come with conditions, the lights could be back on at Privé in a matter of weeks.
This looks like a step in the right direction.
I still have a concern because Opium Group did not show good sense in supervising their former managers.
This leads me to believe they were complicit in the money grab without regard to honoring laws and regulations, and showing basic respect for people, vis a vis, shoving drunks into cabs, etc.
Right on point denro. Management cannot hide their head in the sand like in the old days. The law has changed.
This makes no sense. These two new applicants were the ones that allowed their Prive managers and staff to get into trouble in the first place. What assurance is there that they will properly supervise the club this time? They live 3000 miles away. And for god's sake, get rid of the Opium name. It's retarded.
While some of the individual miscreants are apparently gone, the owner of the Prive night club would still be the same entity under these new applications. Under Nevada law, the entity itself is legally responsible for the wrongdoing by their employees and LLC managers.
Obviously, this "reshuffling of names" is part of an attempt to create a political climate where the County can license the same old entity, with new names in control "on paper".
The problem, which has been a longstanding one in Nevada, is that it is common for people with "clean backgrounds" to "front for" people who are dirty. I just about fell off my chair 2 weekends ago when my adult child's father-in-law casually told me that in the past he had fronted the liquor licenses on some clubs Suge Knight owned.
The fact that the new Security Manager for Prive would be the person who was the "second in command" when all of the unlawful activity occurred does nothing to burnish his resume, or that of the entity which owns the club.
So these legal gyrations, to change the names on the paperwork for the same entity which lost its temporary liquor licenses, are simple b.s..
If the County staff, Assistant District Attorney representing the County on licensing matters, and the County Commissioners buy the name changing, paper shuffling b.s., they are just as slimy as the people who sold coke and bl*w jobs at Prive, and as slimy as the people who owned and operated Prive.
The County's purpose of blowing out Prive's temporary liquor licenses was to show the casino and club industry that ripping off local customers and tourists, and outright law breaking, simply will not be tolerated.
The owners of Planet Hollywood need to evict their tenant, for breach of the lease's covenant to comply with local and state law, and be done with them. If the owners of Planet Hollywood do not simply evict this slimy lawbreaking tenant, someone needs to be carefully looking at Planet Hollywood's gaming license.
I agree with Sircules, The Opium Group is a ridiculous name for a business trying to be legit. I guess Cocaine Incorporated was already taken.
Meet the new boss-same as the old boss.
I totally agree with CynicalObserver. Roman Jones was owner of Prive Las Vegas LLC, is now owner of Prive Vegas Investors LLC, and the slate is supposedly wiped clean? If the County Commission falls for this charade, then they are wearing blinders. I am surprised Planet Hollywood ownership would go along with this shell game ... hmmmm.
planet hollywood doesn't care. they NEED that club open to get people through their doors. nobody's gambling, nobody's buying over-priced "designer" junk at their mall...they need something.
casinos need to find ways to get customers to
come back. most customers are tired of always loseing and being charged a weeks worth of groceries for a dinner.
more out of control clubs aren't going to help their bottom line. we can do that but they are not willing to lure locals back with good deals and promotions. I take that back I received a couple of promotions for hotels rooms. they wonder why we stay home?
These ultra lounges are going the way of the dinosaur. The Strip hotels best go back to the old days when they provided top notch lounges complete with higher tier entertainment for NO cover charge. In the current and NEW economy we are now in, they will find they have no choice but to give something extra to their patrons to get people in the door.
I have to question how that would help in anything 9ball. If you remove the cover charge at the various clubs along the strip, I can see only 2 things change...Firstly, an increase in wait time outside of the clubs...Secondly, less revenue from those that make it in the club...$30-40/person is a great source of revenue that would be lost with no real gain in amount of people in the club due to capacity limits.
The Opium Group should not be allowed to lease and operate this space. They had their ONE CHANCE and failed! No one is to be allowed...unless they have all new owners and new personnel...from Corporate to Las Vegas. There are no second chances allowed per Gaming Control Board's rigid regulations. Planet Hollywood should operate it with a staff person, and if they do not have such a staff as part of their employee group, then go out and hire one. Do not abdicate this responsibility...keep the revenues in house also.