Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
StumbleLiquor license rejections force Planet Hollywood clubs to close
Gaming Commission approves $500,000 fine against resort
Sun file photo
The Prive nightclub at Planet Hollywood.
Published Thursday, July 23, 2009 | 3:24 p.m.
Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009 | 5:44 p.m.
Map of Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas
Sun Archives
Sun Coverage
The Clark County Department of Business License has denied the liquor license applications for the Prive and Living Room clubs at Planet Hollywood, forcing the clubs to cease operations when their temporary licenses expire next week.
The license denial is the first in recent memory to involve a leased venue within a major casino and follows a Gaming Control Board complaint against Planet Hollywood for allowing illegal activities in Prive including drug use, prostitution, underage drinking and assault.
“The evidence of improper management oversight and disregard for the duties of the licensee is overwhelming and points to only one decision – denial of a liquor license," Clark County Business License Director Jacqueline Holloway said Thursday. "We expect consistent compliance and cooperation from our privileged licensees for the benefit of our citizens."
Today, the Nevada Gaming Commission unanimously approved a $500,000 fine against Planet Hollywood. The property, which admitted it knew or should have known about the violations, must pay an additional fine of $250,000 if the Gaming Control Board files a similar complaint against the property before July 31, 2011, based on events prior to July 31, 2010. Such a complaint could involve allegations against any nightclub venue, regardless of ownership or management, at Planet Hollywood.
The clubs had been operating under temporary liquor licenses, which effectively serve as the operations' business licenses, while Metro Police investigated the clubs. Prive's license expires July 28 and the Living Room's license expires July 30.
The county typically allows businesses to operate under temporary licenses while undergoing background checks. Metro had completed its investigation a couple of weeks ago and the county had been reviewing the results and awaiting the results of today's Gaming Commission vote.
The county's business license department previously issued three notices of violation against Prive for stalling agents who were conducting a compliance inspection, interfering with agents during the course of a routine inspection and for allowing "topless and lewd activity."
County code requires license holders to "maintain and conduct all activities upon the premises in a decent, orderly and respectful manner and shall not knowingly permit within or upon the licensed premises any lewd activity, nudity or topless activity ... Disorder, disturbances or other activities which endanger the health or safety of the patrons."
Club operators have 30 days to appeal the denial with the Clark County Commission, which meets Aug. 4.
Discussion: comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
No trusted comments have been posted.
Post a comment
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- South Point owner Michael Gaughan’s take on ‘Vegas Stripped’: ‘I’ll give it an 8’
- Coolican: Henderson officials out of loop on police brutality case, raising red flags
- See mug shots of 16 arrested in stolen-property police sting
- Lumberjacks — ‘Where the Big Boys Eat’ — hiring for North Las Vegas location
- Berkley draws stark contrasts with Heller over immigration
- Conceptual design unveiled for Henderson Space and Science Center
- Rebels open as a 9.5-point favorite against No. 13 San Diego State
- Send your loved one a virtual Vegas Valentine’s Day card right now
- Short memories may serve president
- Howard Miller, prominent lawyer and ‘true Las Vegas native,’ dies at 68
Blogs
The Kats Report
Live color from the scene at Thomas & Mack Center: We have a wire job! Rebels win, and Louie Armstrong sings!
South Point owner Michael Gaughan's take on 'Vegas Stripped': 'I'll give it an 8' (3 Comments)
Author relishes writing the life story of ‘larger-than-life’ Oscar Goodman (3 Comments)
Elsewhere
Landowner: All roads could lead to Uxbridge casino
Revel reveals smoke-free casino opening
Cirque du Soleil show in Sands China casino to close this month
Meet the woman behind Sheldon Adelson
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
there is drinking in this establishment???????? eeeek
This is good and the right thing. They obviously have not been responsible caretakers of the establishments and abused the privileges.
"...Planet Hollywood for allowing illegal activities in Prive including drug use, prostitution, underage drinking and assault."
I wonder how long that Prive joint is going to stay open....
This is the best news ever.Went there one time and was treated like poo by the employees.
About time.
Good riddance to bad, greedy operators.
It's just my opinion but I think these kind of establishments and their $500 vodka helped bring Las Vegas to the point it is now.
good.
i've known heroin dealers that have more ethics than the people that work in and run these clubs.
Will they turn them into Bingo parlors?
Never liked the place as the Aladin...and hated it even more as Planet Hollywood...!
Very weird people hang out there...you know...the coked up "hollywood-want-to-be-crowd"
Good riddance to bad rubbish I say...!
No Integrity always has the last word.
rejco100:
What do you mean?
I cannot understand what you posted.
Picking winners and losers. The proper role of our government. Welcome to the new economy.
I thought Las Vegas was supposed to be riske?
Travelers have a lot of choices. They'll just go to the Caribbean, Bangkok, Europe, etc. Gambling, prostitution, etc is legal most places in the world anyway.
You can't run a club fast and loose and not risk your gaming license thats why you can shut one down faster in Nevada. And i have got no problem with that.
Will similar clubs see business hurt because the lax attitude will be puritanized?
Look if anyone thinks that the exact same thing isn't going on in every other club their kidding themselves. the palms dont seem to have any problem holding events like Kandyland or Rubber where women walk around blatantly in bodypaint and nothing else while a the clienteles eyes role back in their head from ecstasy. look at the photos on the kandyland website.....proof enough.
Personally - I think that plot of land is haunted... No matter what they put there, its doomed!
Also, Yes this sort of thing is happening at other clubs but PH doesn't have a clue as how to limit it/ mask or hide it... People are going to do what there going to do, you really cant STOP it, the patrons will just do the dirty in their rooms and then return to the club... I regularly go to many of the clubs on the strip (local) and sure I've seen people taking hits, blow, etc all over the club but there hasn't been a club I feel more "unsafe" at then Prive... Maybe "Poetry"... Just my thoughts...
Thats a good compilation of stories Thumper... Interesting to read this story side-by-side with you article links.
THIS IS THE DEAF NAIL FOR PLANET HOLLYWOOD!
Wow! Deaf Nail will be at the Planet Hollywood! Cool, I can't hardly wait to buy tickets and thrash around in the mosh pit. Thank goodness that the Prive fiasco wont be the DEATH KNELL to the Planet Hollywood.
It was the right thing to do. I've seen good and bad changes at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood. The night clubs had gotten almost criminal if not outright criminal. It's one thing to be hip but it's another to let things spiral out of control in the name of being hip. Many things about the Casino I love. This was one place I avoided the clubs. Shame on you PH management. You knew you had a problem and you ignored it.
planet hollywood will lease that space out at a bargain rate and have a new tenant by the end of the month.
"The county's business license department previously issued three notices of violation against Prive for stalling agents who were conducting a compliance inspection, interfering with agents during the course of a routine inspection and for allowing "topless and lewd activity." For goodness sake, what's Vegas coming too?
So long as they keep the underage kids out & call the cops on the criminals (drugs, assault, harassment), who cares. You don't like it, take your business elsewhere. It's time to let some of the sin back into Sin City!
I'm all for the sin in sin city. But when it's your sister who gets sexually assaulted by the working staff and you try to stop it and the staff beat the crap out of you, then let's see what you have to say, NLV-Indep13. For the record, it wasn't my sister. But it's a whole lot worse than flashing some skin or having a few minors sneak in.
"Very weird people hang out there...you know...the coked up "hollywood-want-to-be-crowd"
Isn't that the typical crowds on a weekend here in Vegas?? The BImbo Brigade and The "P" Patrol in every casino?? THe ones willing to pay that $500 for a $35 bottle of vodka??
maybe it is time to legalise prostitution as what is the difference for getting paid to have or using your body for hard labour on a building site, nothing at all, it is your body do with it what you like, it does not hurt anyone, in fact it helps the economy by allowing people to make money and offer a valuable service, many countries have realised this and have legalised it throughout the whole country, they collect taxes from it too...
we are in the 2000's whats the problem with topless , nude or sex between consenting adults in an adult environment... lets start living after all if the volcano goes off in yellowstone we wont live for long!!!!
The Corporations that own these hotels will not crack down on this illegal activity until the fines and lawsuits do too much damage to their bottom line. With the current economy they had better wise up because these clubs are going to be under the microscope.
These clubs are a blight on the Las Vegas Strip.
"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"
"Sin City"
So you promote yourself as above and visitors are going to expect these things at these venues.
Seems hypocritical to close them down. Seems at odds with the image projected.
NOW THAT OUR OFFICIALS GOT THE MEAN BAD STRIPPERS AND UNDERAGE DRINKERS, IF THEY WANT TO DO SOME REAL POLICE WORK,WHY DON'T THEY CROSS THE STREET, TO THE CITY CENTER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AND ROUND UP ALL THE ILLEGAL MEXICAN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND SEND THEM BACK TO MEXICO AND HIRE LEGAL AMERICAN CITIZENS !!!!!!!
Look for me Clubs to close...Like a quick get rich fads they come fast and die faster. These Plush Clubs have lots of issues
It is hard to feel sorry for the operators and employees of these rip-off clubs. Many locals quit going to clubs years ago...after they started that B.S. of letting you stand in line for hours, and charging outrageous prices for entry and drinks. Just want a seat to sit in in one of these places? You had better be a millionaire, or have a good credit card.
Keep the clubs open for wealthy Hollywood trash!
What's the point of going to one of these clubs if you can't score X or pick up teenage ho's to take back to your room. This is Sin City isnt it? :)
Vegas should change their slogan to "CIN-derella City" because they are so restrictive on what they allow. Nightclubs in Disney World allow the girls to act up more than Vegas. I was there last week and the bouncers at Rok Vegas in the N.Y. N.Y. acted like Vice Squad when I put my wife up on the bar. Get a life you losers. I will not be back since Forty Deuce closed. To all the Prude politicians that have ruined Vegas, I hope your economy continues to die!! BTW what happened to Forty Deuce?
It is 'safer' to go to a strip/topless club than one of the casino nightclubs. The same conduct at Prive exists at the other clubs in casinos, and the Gaming Control Board and Metro know it. It has existed from the beginning when "un-informed" casino management thought they were loosing business to striptease clubs. Steve Wynn commented years ago that he would not allow a strip club in any of his casinos as they are a regulation nightmare. So, the Gaming Control Board continues its 'selective prosecution' and continues to let Casino Executives off with a slap on the wrist...in this case, that is all a $500,000 fine is! When was the last time the Gaming Control Board revoked a casino license? The rest of the world has discovered 'what happens in Vegas, does not stay in Vegas', and we should all be embarrased.
humm... According to VIP host I know he said the news is wrong and they aren't closing. We'll see who's right next week. I however saw the 15 page report from the commission so I'm leaning to the news was right. However I have heard nothing from the man ranked as the most trusted man in news by a recent poll, John Stewert. So again we'll see.
you put your wife up on the bar?
what kind of yokel does that?
if she would have fallen off the bar from a spilled drink you wouldn't think twice about suing them, so they SHOULD tell you to get the hell out.
To Stevem,
Do not assume everyone is a sue happy liberal like you!
thanks for proving my point.
Who cares what happen to Forty Deuce... Horrible joint... (I work at a FD on the strip)... All of my guests I would send there came back with nothing good to say... I would try to sway them away but - "a friend of a friend told me to check it out..." You know how that goes...
My god! Now where is the future generation going to go to get screwed up?
I know this from first hand--my girlfriend was restrained in a secluded room and was questioned for doing absolutely nothing. This happened the last week of june. She was held hostage and forced to sit down with three bouncers. Glad they are out of business
this place rocks your boat baby. the guido's finally got taken down down down. you really are much safer at rhino. although all bouncers really do smell and either eat to much lard or inject too much roids. that's why they can both work at the strip clubs becuase they can't even get chubbys since their prize is mr tiny.