Prive nightclub to appeal county’s liquor license decision

Prive nightclub plans to file an appeal of its liquor license denial on Tuesday with Clark County officials and appears to believe it will be open this weekend, despite a mandate to close by midnight Tuesday.

Prive nightclub, located at Planet Hollywood Resort, Thursday was denied a liquor license and ordered to cease operations by the county's Business License Department for failing "to abide by the duties of a liquor licensee."

While the nightclub's attorney and officials have remained silent, Plant Hollywood's gaming attorney, Frank Schreck, said the club plans to file an appeal on Tuesday and seek a temporary permit to remain open until an Aug. 4 hearing before the Clark County Commission.

Erik Pappa, Clark County's director of public communications, said it would be up to Business License Director Jacqueline Holloway to decide whether or not to issue the nightclub a temporary permit.

Prive seems confident in its chances, though.

A few hours after the county announced the club would have to close, Prive announced on the social networking Web site Twitter plans for a celebrity birthday party for this Friday.

At 8:07 p.m. last Thursday, five hours after the county announced its decision, Prive's Twitter page posted: "Just booked 24's Mary Lynn Rajskub for Friday, July 31st. Come help her celebrate her Birthday."

An ad for the event is also on the club's Web site page.

Prive is owned by the Opium Group, a Miami Beach, Fla.-based nightclub operator. The club operates on the mezzanine level of the Planet Hollywood Resort.

Prive's ultralounge, the Living Room, which is also owned by the Opium Group, also was denied a liquor license and was ordered to cease all business operations by midnight Thursday.

The county announced its decision a few hours after Planet Hollywood Resort officials agreed to pay a $500,000 fine for not properly overseeing activities at the nightclub.

The nightclub and lounge had been operating under temporary licenses while the Metropolitan Police Department investigated their suitability for licenses after being cited by the county for a series of code violations.

The county issued three citations stemming from a May 14, 2008, incident where security managers either stalled or interfered with routine and compliance inspections at the clubs.

Prive also was cited for allowing topless and lewd activity to take place on site.

The incident was listed in the state Gaming Control Board's nine-count complaint against Planet Hollywood Resort filed by the state Attorney General's office on July 9.

Schreck said it was too early to discuss the resort's continuing relationship with the nightclub, but he said Prive has cooperated with the casino operator following the investigation.

"Prive has been cooperative enough with us in terms of rewriting and drafting the lease and code of conduct and operational code," Schreck said. "Hopefully that will resolve a lot of these issues. ... It's too early. The smoke hasn't cleared, yet."

Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.