Board’s waffling on nightclub vote had side of juice

By Jon Ralston

Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009 | 2:01 a.m.

The only thing that surprised me in the latest chapter of the serpentine, sleazy tale of Prive nightclub at Planet Hollywood is that paramedics didn’t rush into the County Commission chambers Tuesday and apply a defibrillator to nightclub attorney Jay Brown.

Brown, whose ability to snake controversial issues through government boards is legendary, appeared to have this one juiced: Business License Director Jacqueline Holloway had recommended a 90-day temporary license for the nightclub and the commissioners, while asking pointed questions, seemed willing to go along.

What followed was a memorable Grand Central Parkway spectacle, with commissioners coming a hair’s breadth away from not granting the license after raising issues about the possibilities of what Chris Giunchigliani called “a shell game” with owners being shifted for appearances. But even after those concerns were raised by Giunchigliani and others, even after commissioners were furious that Planet Hollywood officials were not there, they still seemed poised to approve what Brown wanted.

Then, just as the vote appeared certain, Barry Reinink of Metro Special Investigations came forward and raised the question that Pete Townshend would appreciate: Is the new boss the same as the old boss?

“Some of those names were involved with the club, working at the club,” Reinink told the board. “There are probably going to be some concerns with those individuals based on the role they had. Some of those names were involved with problems with the club.”

Reinink also suggested he go to Florida to see how the Prive owners operate in that state.

Commissioner Tom Collins rejoined that the only motion he would support is one “to not let them open until Metro gets back from Florida.” You could hear audible groans and someone should have attached a blood pressure meter to Brown.

The attorney quickly jumped in and lavished smarmy praise on Holloway, saying, “This is not the director’s first rodeo.” Earlier he had patronized her thusly: “She has thought this thing through. Her experience and reputation speaks for itself.”

Hmmm. This was the attorney who surely was apoplectic a few weeks ago that Holloway wouldn’t let the nightclub reopen. I wonder what words Brown had for Holloway then.

The spectacle went on.

After Reinink made it clear that Metro was enormously concerned, Commissioner Steve Sisolak jumped in. “Can I move to hold this for two weeks?”

At this point, I didn’t think even Dr. Michael Debakey could have saved Brown.

But no heart specialist was needed. Brown, after huddling with the “new” Prive owners, had a solution for one employee Metro might have a problem with at the “new” Prive.

“Let’s let that one person go,” he said matter-of-factly. “Or suspend him and not put a hundred people out of work.”

So cut loose the guy who is a problem and pull at the commissioners’ heartstrings on the employees. No wonder Brown is so successful.

But Reinink wasn’t buying it and said there were at least two crossover names. “So suspend them if it will put people back to work,” Brown repeated.

Yes, folks. This really happened. And it gets better.

Chairman Rory Reid, who had to abstain because his law firm now represents Prive, asked for a vote on Sisolak’s motion and it looked as if Brown had lost. But Reid saw that Giunchigliani wanted to say something. And she inadvertently saved Brown’s client, even though that surely was not her intention, by saying that she wanted to ask questions of Planet Hollywood folks and gaming regulators, especially after Sisolak raised the issue of the resort passing the half-million-dollar state gaming fine on to the nightclub.

Collins then allowed Brown to recover from his cardiac arrest by proposing a 30-day temporary license — only minutes after he said the only motion he would support was contingent on the Metro probe being completed.

“That works for us, sir,” Brown said deferentially and enthusiastically.

And the inconsistent Collins, who consistently provides memorable quotes, warned Brown what Metro might find: “You got the same guy running the Chicken Ranch; the Chicken Ranch is still the Chicken Ranch.”

And then it was done, unanimously, almost as quickly as it had fallen apart, thanks to the board’s flip-flopping and Brown’s desperate pitch, with no questions about why Reinink wasn’t the first to speak at the hearing and how Holloway could have agreed to what Brown wanted with the police’s obvious concerns.

Just another day at the County Commission, where juice still usually wins, no matter how winding the road may be.

Yes, Brown left with his heart intact. And probably a bonus, too. Maybe he should celebrate at Prive this weekend — I hear the place is wild, even wilder than a County Commission meeting.