Ft Lauderdale may be losing 2 more famous landmarks!
10-30-2015, 08:01 AM
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Ft Lauderdale may be losing 2 more famous landmarks!
First the no wake zones, then they tore down Everglades and Sundance Marinas, then Shooters reinvented itself......now Solid Gold and Pure Platinum may be on the ropes!
Oakland Park: Time's up for Solid Gold, Pure Platinum strip clubs
Oakland Park is getting ready to take the gloves off in its long dormant battle with Solid Gold and Pure Platinum — gentlemen's clubs where dancers doff their duds in full nudity.
The two Federal Highway strip clubs signed agreements with the city 11 years ago to terminate their adult entertainment operations Monday at the stroke of midnight.
In exchange, the city allowed the clubs to continue totally nude performances, serve alcohol in a nude establishment and let dancers have physical contact with guests — all violations of the city's sexually-oriented business regulations. The clubs also paid the city $205,000 to cover its legal costs.
City Attorney D.J. Doody sent a letter to the businesses notifying them of the impending deadline, but said he has received no indication they plan to comply with the 2004 agreements. An attorney representing the clubs said they haven't decided what they will do.
One thing is certain: The clubs want to stay open.
"Obviously we're going to seek emergency relief from the court," said attorney Luke Lirot, representing the clubs that are partially owned by Michael J. Peter. "The environment from which we were operating was optimism, simply because it doesn't make any sense to close these businesses down for no good reason."
Lirot called the clubs class operations and good corporate citizens, not less desirable establishments attracting a seedier clientele. But city officials say the businesses have impeded Oakland Park's ability to redevelop the area and don't want the clubs there anymore.
"I'll support every legal measure available to enforce the deal and ensure their compliance," Mayor Jed Shank said. "That just really irritates me that they're going to screw around when we had a deal and for eleven years we left them alone."
The issue will be discussed at the City Commission meeting Wednesday, but Doody's letter warned the clubs that the city will begin enforcement of its laws on Tuesday. Violations are punishable by up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail. Each day the clubs operate would be considered a separate offense, he said.
Solid Gold has offered the city a deal: Allow it to continue operating as it has for an additional two years until its lease expires, and then its property will be turned into a dinner theater or some other non-adult entertainment operation. The club would pay the city $5,000 a month during that time — $7,500 a month if the city allowed the club to push back its closing time from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Pure Platinum is offering the same monthly fees — along with substantial landscaping improvements — but doesn't plan to shut down. Lirot said its 2004 agreement was signed by a tenant who had no authority to do so and that the property is protected by a separate 1987 federal court ruling allowing for nude performances on the site.
The news disturbed Roseanne Branciforte of Fort Lauderdale, who had been energized by the expected closures of the adult businesses on her city's border.
"My whole goal is to put an end to commercial sexual exploitation," said Branciforte, who recently tried to find a way to remove the Solid Gold advertisements from the tops of taxi cabs. "This would have been a nice win, it really would have."
Lirot said the original agreements were for the clubs "to close, not to die," and the city has an obligation to provide other areas where the establishments could operate. He said his clients have been looking for "months and months" for alternate sites.
"We looked through the city. There's no location for these businesses to go," Lirot said.
Oakland Park: Time's up for Solid Gold, Pure Platinum strip clubs
Oakland Park is getting ready to take the gloves off in its long dormant battle with Solid Gold and Pure Platinum — gentlemen's clubs where dancers doff their duds in full nudity.
The two Federal Highway strip clubs signed agreements with the city 11 years ago to terminate their adult entertainment operations Monday at the stroke of midnight.
In exchange, the city allowed the clubs to continue totally nude performances, serve alcohol in a nude establishment and let dancers have physical contact with guests — all violations of the city's sexually-oriented business regulations. The clubs also paid the city $205,000 to cover its legal costs.
City Attorney D.J. Doody sent a letter to the businesses notifying them of the impending deadline, but said he has received no indication they plan to comply with the 2004 agreements. An attorney representing the clubs said they haven't decided what they will do.
One thing is certain: The clubs want to stay open.
"Obviously we're going to seek emergency relief from the court," said attorney Luke Lirot, representing the clubs that are partially owned by Michael J. Peter. "The environment from which we were operating was optimism, simply because it doesn't make any sense to close these businesses down for no good reason."
Lirot called the clubs class operations and good corporate citizens, not less desirable establishments attracting a seedier clientele. But city officials say the businesses have impeded Oakland Park's ability to redevelop the area and don't want the clubs there anymore.
"I'll support every legal measure available to enforce the deal and ensure their compliance," Mayor Jed Shank said. "That just really irritates me that they're going to screw around when we had a deal and for eleven years we left them alone."
The issue will be discussed at the City Commission meeting Wednesday, but Doody's letter warned the clubs that the city will begin enforcement of its laws on Tuesday. Violations are punishable by up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail. Each day the clubs operate would be considered a separate offense, he said.
Solid Gold has offered the city a deal: Allow it to continue operating as it has for an additional two years until its lease expires, and then its property will be turned into a dinner theater or some other non-adult entertainment operation. The club would pay the city $5,000 a month during that time — $7,500 a month if the city allowed the club to push back its closing time from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Pure Platinum is offering the same monthly fees — along with substantial landscaping improvements — but doesn't plan to shut down. Lirot said its 2004 agreement was signed by a tenant who had no authority to do so and that the property is protected by a separate 1987 federal court ruling allowing for nude performances on the site.
The news disturbed Roseanne Branciforte of Fort Lauderdale, who had been energized by the expected closures of the adult businesses on her city's border.
"My whole goal is to put an end to commercial sexual exploitation," said Branciforte, who recently tried to find a way to remove the Solid Gold advertisements from the tops of taxi cabs. "This would have been a nice win, it really would have."
Lirot said the original agreements were for the clubs "to close, not to die," and the city has an obligation to provide other areas where the establishments could operate. He said his clients have been looking for "months and months" for alternate sites.
"We looked through the city. There's no location for these businesses to go," Lirot said.
