Sin City chamber means business

When members of the Sin City Chamber of Commerce get together Friday and Saturday for the group's spring golf tournament and barbecue, attendees can expect a networking-heavy atmosphere similar to the milieu at any business function.

Except for the bikini contest.

And the cocktail party at the brothel.

And the strip club sponsor.

And the fundraising drive for the sex workers' charity.

"From the sound of it, people may get the indication that it's like a singles' meeting thing, but it's far from it," said David Sutton, president of adult-movie seller VCX.com, which owns 350 classic titles including "The Devil in Miss Jones" and "Debbie Does Dallas."

VCX.com is also one of the golf tournament's, um, hole sponsors.

"It's basically an opportunity for members to meet other members who can help them out in their business endeavors at some point," Sutton said. "We want to go out there and press the flesh, and let everybody know who we are."

The Spring Golf Classic and Third Annual Spring Barbecue is the biggest event thrown by the Sin City Chamber of Commerce. The chamber, established in July 2004, is a trade group for adult-oriented companies denied membership in more mainstream chambers, said Michael Russell, the organization's executive vice president and partner.

The chamber has about 500 members, 15 percent of whom are involved in adult or alternative industries, Russell said. The rest are a mix of attorneys, real estate agents, caterers, insurance companies, dentists, car dealers, banks, chiropractors and other professionals looking to peddle services to workers in the adult-business sector.

The Sin City Chamber's broad appeal is evident in the names attached to the hole sponsorships and exhibit booths at the upcoming barbecue and golf tournament.

Sure, there are eyebrow raisers such as Deja Vu Gentlemen's Club, but local business mainstays can be found, including Findlay Volkswagen, BMW Motorcycles of Las Vegas and Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada.

"Networking is the main factor" behind Southern Wine & Spirits' hole sponsorship and barbecue attendance, said Micheal Sussen, a division manager with the liquor distributor. "We're looking for brand exposure, and we want to get our name and our brands out there. I hope it will grow our contacts in the future."

With golfing and grilling (and gripping and grinning), the two-day event will include hot-air balloon rides, a bikini contest, a cocktail party Friday night at the Chicken Ranch, a car show and carnival games.

Some of the proceeds from gift-bag sales, balloon rides and the barbecue will go toward the Desire Alliance, a nonprofit that lobbies for the rights of workers in the sex industry, and The Center, a gay-rights group. The chamber has booked a block of rooms at the Pahrump Nugget hotel and casino.

Organizers are expecting as many as 500 attendees throughout the weekend.

"It really feels just like a county fair except that you won't see any children," Russell said. "It's about fun, it's about networking, and it's about meeting people."

It's also a chance for adult-themed businesses to track down companies that will perform services for them, Sutton said.

Owners of adult businesses must pay taxes, balance the books and buy insurance like any other enterprise. It can be tough to find business partners: VCX.com lost its liability insurance in early 2007 when its policy provider discovered the nature of the company's line of work and refused to renew coverage, Sutton said.

"The nice thing about the Sin City Chamber of Commerce is that you have access to the infrastructure that any business needs," he said. "You don't have to go through the rigmarole of trying to find a bank to lend you money and, at the end of the game, have them tell you, 'Oh, we didn't realize you were an adult company, and our charter doesn't allow us to do business with you.'"

Through the Sin City Chamber of Commerce, VCX.com has found a new insurer.

Sutton has met attorneys useful to his business, and he credited publicity he has received through the group for boosting his business. An interview that appeared on European television led to a 20 percent jump in sales for about two weeks after the talk aired, he said.

The Sin City Chamber of Commerce doesn't confine its events to brothel barbecues. Like any chamber, it has breakfast meetings, monthly mixers and a holiday party with an accompanying toy drive.

The chamber has held Botox parties, and on May 18, its Sin City Sky Dive for Charity will raise money for the Corps of Compassion, which collects money to feed homeless children.

For sheer frivolity, though, nothing beats the spring barbecue, Sutton said.

"Regular chamber of commerce events might have (bars), but it's a little more fun when prostitutes are serving the drinks," he said.

There's still time to register for the golf tournament and barbecue. Members of the Sin City Chamber of Commerce will pay $115 to play golf and $10 to participate in the barbecue. Nonmembers must pay $150 to enter the golf tournament and $50 to attend the barbecue. The registration deadline is Thursday at noon.

"We just want our members to have fun," Russell said. "If our members are having fun, they're getting business out of the people they're having fun with."