Las Vegas- The popular topless club has closed its doors after a tug of war with the City of Las Vegas over its right to serve alcohol.
The City revoked the liquor license for the Crazy Horse Too strip club because of the owner’s run-ins with the law. After threatening to ignore the order, the owner finally threw in the towel and on Friday afternoon announced he was temporarily going to close.
Owners of the Crazy Horse Too topless club are defying an order from the City of Las Vegas to stop serving alcohol. That order was upheld in court Friday by a local judge but the fight is far from finished.
The club’s attorney says the club still has the right to serve drinks. He says the City didn’t properly serve the club with a no-alcohol order and that’s why the club will keep the booze flowing for the time being.
However, Las Vegas City attorney Brad Jerbic says if the club keeps serving drinks, it will be cited. “It’s a misdemeanor under city law to serve alcohol without a license and if that’s what’s going to happen after today’s hearing, then we’ll have law enforcement officers out there and they’ll take appropriate action.”
Jerbic says the City gave someone from the club the no-alcohol order Thursday afternoon. But Crazy Horse Too attorney Tony Sgro says the City didn’t do things the right way. “They set the document on the bar, they took a picture and then they left. That does not conform with the statutory service requirements,” said Sgro.
Earlier, the City Council stripped the club of its liquor license. That’s because several employees, including owner Rick Rizzolo, have pleaded guilty to federal charges of extortion.
Attorneys for the club say this legal fight is not finished. A judge will make a final ruling on the club’s liquor license. Meantime, the City says it will start handing out citations to anyone who serves a drink inside the Crazy Horse Too. They could be looking at a $1,000 fine or 6 months in jail.
Along with revoking the club’s liquor license, the City Council also fined the owners of the Crazy Horse Too more than $2 million.