GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Strip club operators spent last Friday trying to minimize a court ruling that allowed the city to enforce its new adult business ordinance at midnight.
“Our plan is to do the same thing we’ve done for the last 55 years and abide by whatever regulations are on the books,” said Ron Buckner, manager of the Parkway Tropics, 814 Lake Michigan Drive NW.
That meant taping off part of the night club’s stage to make sure their semi-nude dancers stay at least six feet from customers, Buckner said. After their performances, dancers would be instructed to don bikinis before they collect tips, he said. At Sensations, 3525 East Mall Drive SE, owner Mark London said little would change except all of his dancers will be wearing bikinis.
By not having any nude or semi-nude dancers on the premises, London said his business no longer qualifies as a sexually oriented business.
“It’s the exact opposite of what the city wanted to have happen. But as long as they have bikinis on, they can do anything they want to,” London said.
The new rules were slated to take effect at midnight after U.S. District Judge Robert Bell ruled last Thursday the city could begin enforcing its strip club ordinance despite two pending lawsuits that challenge the constitutionality of the city ordinance.
Bell ruled the lawsuits filed by London and the Little Red Barn Adult Theatre did not have a “substantial likelihood” of succeeding.
He plans to rule by Oct. 20 on the city’s request to throw the lawsuits out of court.
Besides keeping strippers at least six feet from patrons and requiring “pasties” and “G-strings,” the ordinance also requires adult bookstores and peep shows to close from 2 to 7 a.m.
Other parts of the ordinance that require the clubs to build raised stages for performers and remove doors on peep show booths will not take effect until Nov. 21.
Police Chief Harry Dolan declined to say whether his vice officers would be out to ensure compliance Friday night.
“We are relying on media reports that the businesses are going to voluntarily comply. We will continue to do our monitoring of these locations,” said Dolan, who he will meet with City Attorney Philip Balkema next week to determine how violations will be handled.
The ordinance also may affect London’s plan to open “Showgirls Galleria,” a strip club on Market Street SW on the southwest edge of downtown.
London, who has slowed construction at the club, is hoping to get a liquor license for the former steel fabricating plant. Rather than operate a bikini bar without alcohol, London said he probably will not open Showgirls Galleria. He is operating an adult book and video store at the site.