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Strippers file $15M lawsuit against city of Reno

Nine women, including eight strippers, are seeking $15 million in a class-action lawsuit filed against the city of Reno, arguing new restrictions on clubs are discriminatory and unreasonable.

The 39-page federal complaint filed Wednesday argues that the city’s municipal codes passed in May discriminate against women by declaring alcohol cannot be served in a club that features dancers under 21. Eight of the women are “adult interactive cabaret performers” between the ages of 18 and 21 at four clubs that will be impacted.

The ninth woman argues she should be able to “view the performances” at topless clubs regardless of her age, just as she should be able to patronize any restaurant that serves alcohol.

The $15 million was calculated based on the three-year losses more than 100 dancers will face.

The majority of the complaint argues against the discrimination it says is created by the new mandates, along with the ongoing discrimination faced by female dancers already. Female strippers in Reno pay nearly $400 in background checks and license applications, and officers allegedly seek out unlicensed dancers in stings to fine the women.

“Not a single male has been fined, disciplined or punished by Defendants for dancing topless as a stripper in the same manner as females, although many men have done so, openly and notoriously with plenty of prior notice through advertising on large billboards outside downtown casinos like Chippendales at Harrah’s and Thunder from Down Under,” the complaint read.

The plaintiffs argue that if the concern is alcohol consumption, the dancer’s age shouldn’t affect whether they can be employed, claiming there hasn’t been a single citation for underage drinking at any strip club in 20 years.

In a statement provided to the Reno Gazette Journal, Reno City Attorney Karl Hall’s office said the city “looks forward to responding in court.” It said the changes made by the city council were “measured and thoughtful … comport with state and federal law, and mirror similar regulations in place elsewhere in the state of Nevada and across the United States.”

Clark County has long banned the sale of alcohol in places where minors can enter, except for a licensed restaurant or eatery that is “not operated in conjunction with an adult entertainment cabaret,” according to the Business License Department.

The city of Reno’s Adult Business Impact Statement said there would be adverse financial effects based on the new codes, but that they were difficult to quantify and vary. The plaintiffs disagreed, arguing that this would have a $25 million impact on the businesses.

Dancers at three of the four affected clubs bring in $24 million annually, mostly from private dances and topless lap dances, according to court documents. The new regulation bans private booths and wants to expand camera footage of the clubs, which would cut this revenue entirely.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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