Vegas Strip Club to open on Del Ave - PhillyBlog

Dave · #1 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 11:59 PM

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/13222335.htm

Quote:

Posted on Mon, Nov. 21, 2005
Strip Mall: Here's some nudes for you

By CATHERINE LUCEY

luceyc@phillynews.com

LOOK OUT, South Philly - Sin City is moving in.

Despite outrage from the community and politicians, an imported Vegas strip club is under construction on the southern tip of Columbus Boulevard.

Called Crazy Horse Too, it's a massive, flashy establishment that has had run-ins with the feds in Vegas. Its owner is reportedly connected to the mob.

"We're oversaturated with adult entertainment. We don't need and we don't want it," said Robert C. Blackburn, president of the local community group, the Whitman Council Neighorhood Advisory Committee.

"We are against establishments like that in our neighborhood," he said.

State Sen. Vincent Fumo has joined the battle against Crazy Horse, trying to get its liquor license investigated. But the Liquor Control Board claims there are no grounds.

So construction continues on the desolate industrial site on Columbus Boulevard below Oregon Avenue. A large brick building with white-framed windows is already up. The Crazy Horse Web site touts a January opening.

The club did not return calls from the Daily News for comment.

Crazy Horse Too in Vegas is a 24-hour complex staffed by 1,500 women that makes roughly $1 million a month, according to a recent Las Vegas Sun story.

But not all of that money may be clean.

Last January, a club manager was indicted and charged with federal racketeering and tax charges. The indictment alleges that club employees extorted money from customers through threats.

And while Crazy Horse Too's owner, Rick Rizzolo, has not been hit with any charges, he is under investigation for federal racketeering and tax evasion, according to the Las Vegas press.

Rizzolo has also repeatedly been accused of being linked to the Mafia. A Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist recently reported that Rizzolo had been at an organized-crime dinner in Chicago over the summer, attended by mob boss Joey "the Clown" Lombardo.

Industry sources say the South Philly site has been owned unofficially for several years by a Romeo Coscia, of Chester Springs, Pa.

Coscia's name doesn't show up on the titles or liquor licenses - family members and other connections are listed - likely because court records show that he has a prison record. But sources said he was the decision-maker for the property.

He has been shopping around a strip club project on the site for years, sources said. And Crazy Horse came into the picture at least a year ago.

No working phone number could be found for Coscia.

Thus far, the neighbors have not been able to do much about the club, Blackburn said.

"We're told they have all their paperwork in order," he explained. "By the time we found out about it, they had the liquor license."

Fumo sent a letter to the Liquor Control Board asking that it review the establishment's license and schedule a hearing for community complaints.

"Neighbors have concerns about the type of establishment proposed for this location, as well as the character of those in control of the license," reads the Oct. 12 letter.

But the board replied that there were no grounds to re-examine the licensee. There is no ongoing investigation into the license or the club, a spokeswoman said.

Fumo's spokesman, Gary "it's not a Tuma" Tuma, said the senator was still considering his options regarding the club.

"He's hopeful that as more information becomes available, the board may choose to reconsider," Tuma said.

State Rep. William Keller is also opposed to the club. He thinks there could be a better use for the land.

"I think that's prime port industrial land," he said. "I think we need to preserve all land south of the Walt Whitman Bridge."

Blackburn said his group would support any efforts against the club.

"We're absolutely dead-set against it," he said.

fishtown_phil · #2 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

Posted on Mon, Nov. 21, 2005
Strip Mall: Here's some nudes for you

By CATHERINE LUCEY

LOOK OUT, South Philly - Sin City is moving in.

Despite outrage from the community and politicians,...

Thus far, the neighbors have not been able to do much about the club, Blackburn said.

"We're told they have all their paperwork in order," he explained. "By the time we found out about it, they had the liquor license."

This sounds very fishy. Where was the city councilman? Can you say "Pay to Play"

Jermain · #3 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 03:07 AM

Ugh! Well I guess it fits in with the slot machine vibe...

zur · #4 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 09:27 AM

So construction continues on the desolate industrial site on Columbus Boulevard below Oregon Avenue. A large brick building with white-framed windows is already up. The Crazy Horse Web site touts a January opening.

..first..I can't wait. ...second..it's not near *anything* ...what's the problem?

D-Man · #5 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 10:07 AM

Exactly. This place will have as much effect on the community as The Purple Orchid or The Oasis, on Passayunk Ave. They are nowhere near any residential areas. Despite the alleged mob ties that are mentioned in the inky, the Crazy Horse clubs in LA and Las Vegas are very clean, safe and well-run establishments (umm, or so I hear :roll: ). Unlike the strip clubs in this City that run by former Philly cops (read: Tattletales, Dangerouse Curves).

zur · #6 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 11:10 AM

I know this sounds crazy but we need "better" strip clubs if we want to be a tourist destination. One classy club isn't enough (Delilah's.. which is kinda small) Vegas has them and so does NYC. Not everyone's a harline Christian...although I think they would go to...if nobody was looking.

We have Conventions to book...and I know one thing businessmen like to do when thay are away from thier wives. Plus, after the games at the "complex" it's just a hop, skip, and a jump over to the location.

Think of all the spending money those girls will pump into the economy. Strippers aren't known for saving...and the city will tax them like waitresses and the property..which is just a lot to my knowledge.

ljlong · #7 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 11:38 AM

Seems like the community should have had the ability to say yay or nay in a democractic process. If these clubs are so great, why don't the owners put them before the whole community in an open process?

rmship · #8 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 11:45 AM

The diversity is here to stay. Take a look around and one will see the changing demographics across the board.

Businesses like these are signs of change. The gaming industry has sub-division industries taht go hand in hand. We must look at the whole pie and not just the slice.

Sunshine and rain, pain and joy, sex and cash.

ljlong · #9 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 11:49 AM

Philly can survive on legit businesses, not the rejects from Cherry Hill clean ups.

If this business is so great, it will blast through the letter of approval process from the community association that it can bring to the ZBA.

pistaugh · #10 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 11:50 AM

It's pretty far from any residential area. It's not like people are going to be finding thongs in their planters or anything.