Nashville- Known for a Southern parlor décor, Ken’s Gold Club now has a new distinction: It’s the first Nashville strip club to have its special operating license revoked.
The board that oversees Metro’s adult businesses unanimously voted this week to revoke the club’s license after a police investigation turned up 28 citations against the club and two dancers.
No one knows when or if the 500 Fifth Avenue South club might shut its doors.
Metro attorney Doug Sloan said he expects club owners to appeal the decision of Metro’s Sexually Oriented Business Licensing Board to Davidson County Chancery Court.
“We’re very careful that we’re giving somebody the opportunity to have this review by the court,” Sloan said.
Attorney John Herbison, who represents the club, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
But Herbison spoke against revoking the club’s license during Wednesday’s five and a half hour session with board members, calling that a “disproportionate” punishment.
Violations of Metro laws governing strip clubs – including no lap dances and a law requiring dancers to be three feet away from patrons – came to light in a sexually explicit video recorded at the club last October by an undercover officer.
“I thought it was kind of huge the way everything was playing itself out,” Sloan said later.
“This wasn’t the board of zoning appeals. … This was a group of people in the sex industry, lawyers, a police officer and government officers gathering around watching an undercover video of a lap dance. It was bizarre.”