In any other town, Privé nightclub would be down for the count

Upon first glance, the answer seems simple. Privé has to go, right?

Employees and managers at the popular and controversial nightclub inside Planet Hollywood Resort have been accused of dumping drunk customers inside the casino, serving alcohol to minors and failing to control lewd behavior.

Worse yet, employees have been involved in the physical and sexual assault of customers.

These facts were so well-established by the Gaming Control Board that Planet Hollywood agreed to pay a $500,000 fine for failing to police the nightclub, which leases space inside the resort.

When the Clark County Business License office last week announced its plans to recommend denial of Privé's liquor license in the wake of the related fine, you might think the club's fate was sealed. After all, liquor licenses are privileged.

It's the obvious call, isn't it?

Trouble is, nothing is simple in Southern Nevada. The obvious is often illusory.

Perhaps that's why Sheriff Doug Gillespie, who is no fan of the nightclub scene, which keeps his officers and investigators looking into reports of prostitution, drug dealing and a litany of other crimes, is measured in his response to the perils of Privé.

Perhaps the sheriff knows that when it comes to the politics of liquor licenses in Southern Nevada, nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

"I think they have (violated the rules), and that's why it (the temporary liquor license) was removed," Gillespie said Tuesday. "There's a process in place, and I think it's important that we continue to follow that process."

Ah, yes, the process.

Cops investigate rumors of criminal activity at some clubs and discover plenty of ugly facts to put into their reports.

Those reports are sent to County Business License officials, who report to the Clark County Commission.

Next stop, Wonderland.

The facts don't always fall down a rabbit hole, but history has shown the process to be as political as it is regulatory. When dialed-in troublemakers need a second or third chance, political juice tends to trump the painfully obvious.

Did I mention Privé has retained consummately connected attorney Jay Brown to represent it? A call to Brown's office confirmed.

Brown wasn't available. Maybe he was out fund-raising for a commissioner or chatting with his close friend, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

When it comes to winning before the County Commission, Jay Brown is more at home than Doyle Brunson at a poker table.

You might think the fact Planet Hollywood has already agreed to pay a $500,000 fine for failing to keep a leash on Privé would be enough to deny a liquor license.

You might think the fact Planet Hollywood attorney Frank Schreck, himself no slouch in the political juice department, had secured a new lease from Privé giving the casino resort more oversight would be an irrefutable acknowledgement of the shameful facts.

We'll see. The County Commission is set to hear arguments Aug. 4. Metro's confidential Special Investigations unit report on the nightclub was finished last month.

Will there be a public act of contrition, a vow to uphold a higher standard, the announcement of new managers, an agreement to pay a large fine and a vote to either continue the matter or grant a license?

That's quite possible.

For his part, Gillespie isn't a bit surprised by the findings of investigators. He said he's been aware of the trouble inside the local club scene since 2000. Club and hotel management have been informed many times of the trouble they were courting.

Some club managers were so arrogant they hired uniformed Metro officers on overtime to patrol the lines outside the club but then tried to ban the cops from entering areas known for open drug use.

Metro and Gaming Control for months have warned resort owners and club operators.

Some operators took the hint. Others partied on.

"It got to the point where some of these clubs weren't taking responsibility for what was going on," Gillespie said. "They weren't showing the improvement that some of the other clubs have."

I'm guessing the embarrassing Privé falls into the latter category. But that doesn't mean the nightclub is through.

Not in the place where the answers are seldom simple, and reality is never as obvious as it seems.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith/.