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Thread: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

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    Default Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Several Seattle area clubs have been in the news since a joint investigation by the Seattle Police and the Feds. Yesterday King 5 news reported that Ricks, Honeys, and Foxes could be shut down immediately if a plea agreement is reached today at the 2:00 PM hearing.

    http://www.king5.com/news/The-end-of...-92282659.html

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Did you see at 0:46... sounds like they are referring to hefty/overpriced house fees! If this goes through it could mean more trouble for a ton of clubs across the country!

    The sad thing about this is how many of the dancers will be out of work.
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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    ^^ A friend and I were just talking about the number of girls that would be affected. We were triing to estimate how many would be searching for new places to work (with in a week). Some would be able to travel, but many have children and will have to find something in town.

    As an update: Channel 5 reported on the 5:00 news that the hearing did go as expected. Rick's, Honeys, and Foxes will be closed and handed off to the feds as of May 5, 2010. Another airing on Channel 5 at 6:30.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Let us know if you find out any more updates with a web link.
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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    There will be an increase in girls working Aurora (local 'red light' main drag) and working in the sorta-ish legal jackshacks. Probably more girls heading to Portland clubs also.

    Plus it is now going to get super ugly for the remaining clubs because seattle already had more girls than customers as a norm and now it's just going to be ridiculous.

    And I am not sure how much civilian work is out there now because the local economy is in flux.

    This fallout won't be pretty.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Wow this sucks. I work at a Seattle club, the Lusty Lady, and we're closing because we're just not doing well as a peepshow anymore. Several of us were planning on going to other clubs after wards, but now I don't really know what we're going to do. I'm probably not going to be able to strip after my club closes.
    Ricks/Foxes are well know for being very dirty. The only other clubs we have are Deja Vu clubs, Sands, and Sin Rock. I hope those clubs don't get dirty because of this, but they might.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Does anyone know what the average house fees were at these clubs? I came across this stating one girl was charged $120 for a 6 hour shift.

    http://blogs.kisw.com/stevetheproduc...major-leagues/
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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Additional info (wow, made the national news):

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36833222...ws-seattle_wa/

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36840557/

    http://www.komonews.com/news/92330309.html

    The Seattle area was slower to feel the effects of the bad economy but has also been slower to recover. The clubs have been pretty dead for a while now-customers just aren't spending money.

    For those looking, I saw a "now hiring" on the marquee while driving past the Sands in Ballard the other day. I know that both the Sands and Centerfolds will cap the number of dancers working per shift (both small clubs).

    I feel bad for the dancers of these club-they probably thought that they had more time. The trial was set for next year and this plea deal and shut down came up really fast.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    I feel bad for dancers in Portland; this might have a bad effect on them, and its already changed there quite a bit in just the last 2 years.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    I'm glad that last month 2 new clubs opened, but this month 3 clubs have closed and next month my club closes. Seattle politicians have really gutted the strip club scene here. Frequent raids, closures, no alcohol... I just wanna be a stripper and make some money!!!


    I've heard good things about Sands and Centerfolds, do ya'll think the other clubs will pick up so many clubs closing?
    Goodbye Seattle Lusty Lady, where every Miss is a Hit, and every Hit is Missed. 1985-2010.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    I dance at Dreamgirls and the place is a graveyard unless theres an event at the neighboring stadium

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    I work at Ricks and I'm really sad to see it go. I've worked at many clubs in Seattle and this was the ONLY consistent club that I've worked at, plus the ONLY club in which both the girls and patrons are respectful and nice. I've never had a bad night working for Ricks both monetary wise and emotionally. Not only will the dancers have to find new jobs, the employees will also have to find work. Many of the waitresses are very scared because the other clubs are already denying applications. It's putting MANY people out of work, not just dancers.

    I'm not sure where I want to work. Many of the girls are going to Club Sinrock and Centerfolds. I may end up trying Sinrock because the only alternative is DejaVu and unless I can work downtown on first; the clubs are dead.

    House fees for Ricks are $130 for as many hours as you want but as are the same as most clubs in the Seattle area. It's definitely not hard to make $130 within your first hour so I don't find the fees to be that exuberant.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    The dancing industry in the Seattle area seems completely ruined now and RUN SOLELY BY MEN.

    $130 was a very fair price for the money you would make at Rick's on any given night. Obviously there have been some issues in recent months money wise. Sadly that's how it goes when the feds are breathing down your neck in a not so stellar economy.

    The women used to control the dancing industry around here but now the prosecutors have taken it away from them, and basically handed it over to men.

    Very sad.

    There is a discussion here on SW that asks why more strip clubs were not run by women - and if there ever was a place Rick's (and Lusty Lady) were it. There were no female owners per say (sans Lusty Lady) but that doesn't mean the dancers didn't "own" the place and dominate the entire market in the Seattle area.

    The Sand's and Centerfolds are going to be out of control in the coming weeks.

    Sin Rock is smaller but it's probably one of the nicest clubs around. The minus is that it's small and sorta hard to get to. The pluses: very nice decor and interior, closest thing to Bellevue, extremely fair pricing on the girls and very clean dances. We're talkin' sit on your hands sorta dances.

    This whole club closing seemed more like a political pissing contest and was not an attack on business but an attack on women. So if any of you are feeling confused, extra hurt, sad or that you have no voice know you are not alone.

    You do have a voice and now is the time to use it.

    This is not about just a few clubs closing - this was a political decision that said women are victims, unintelligent, unbusiness like and don't know how to think for themselves.

    Just know there are people in the Seattle industry that deeply care about you.

    Stay strong Rick's girls!

    /rant




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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    This is really scary. Are the feds going to shut down all of the Ricks clubs? I know they are going after NYC too.
    Can't they just create a law that says clubs have to charge a percentage of all sales instead of an upfront fee?
    They did that at Crazy Horse Too in Vegas. I think that was the fairest way to charge a fee out of any club I have ever worked for. Crazy Horse Too was a really big, super busy club.
    Then the government could charge taxes out of that. I know the government is going to be cracking down on taxes big time. I think they might be trying to make an example out of Ricks because they are so big and more legit than most clubs.
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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Quote Originally Posted by Stripper Hacks View Post
    This whole club closing seemed more like a political pissing contest and was not an attack on business but an attack on women. So if any of you are feeling confused, extra hurt, sad or that you have no voice know you are not alone.

    You do have a voice and now is the time to use it.

    Stay strong Rick's girls!

    /rant
    I agree about the attack on women. We are going through that here in Vegas by the cops right now. In October 2009 they passed a law saying that they were going to blame everything that happens in the stripclub on the strippers. So the managers and bouncers don't have to do anything, and the customers can do anything they want and never get in any trouble. They say that they passed this law to get rid of solicitation to prostitution. What a blatently obnoxious lie.

    If they wanted to get rid of solicitation to prostitution they would have vice posing as strippers and arresting custys. Because it's the custys who always solicit us for prostitution. Every single day!

    The best thing that dancers can do is become aware and involved in local politics. We need to vote out the male chauvinists. I am voting for a female sherriff this year who has good morals.
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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    I don't think a female sheriff will help, but if someone with good politics was running that would be better. However, it also depends on campaigning and who is running. If we want this to change it's going to take a lot of work.
    Goodbye Seattle Lusty Lady, where every Miss is a Hit, and every Hit is Missed. 1985-2010.

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Quote Originally Posted by loren View Post
    If they wanted to get rid of solicitation to prostitution they would have vice posing as strippers and arresting custys. Because it's the custys who always solicit us for prostitution. Every single day!
    I've said that for years! If that happened just a few times these guys would think twice.
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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    If you're trying to identify a common thread with the recent strip club developments in Seattle, along with recent events in other cities as far flung as Vegas and New York, I offer up this possibility. Historically speaking, clubowners and local politicians in all of these cities had a low profile but high dollar symbiotic relationship. In other words, clubowners would come up with 'contributions' at opportune times, and in turn local politicians would come up with favorable policies / rulings at opportune times. What's changed lately is that there is an increasing state and federal presence looking over the shoulder of the local politicians and cops. Conspiracy theorists would probably point out that greatly increased IRS / state tax agency attention towards adult businesses / cash businesses in today's economic environment of massive gov't budget deficits is probably behind this increased attention. However, if evidence of other 'crimes' is discovered i.e. prostitution, with federal and state LE attention it is now impossible to ignore further investigation.

    In the final analysis, the feds wound up winning three ways in Seattle. First, they got 'credit' for getting what amounts to a guilty plea from the clubowners. Second, they got 4.5 million dollars worth of real estate ( which will undoubted be liquidated with the proceeds used to offset gov't budget deficits). And third they got favorable publicity regarding their supposed prostitution / racketeering cleanup. While the latter was the 'official' reason for the investigations, in reality it was probably the money that really mattered !!!

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    I fucking hate this state to dance in

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    ^^ I feel you. I heard Dreamgirls hired about 40 Talent's West dancers the first day after the club closings. How's that working out?

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    Default Re: Seattle Clubs: Probable Shutdown by Feds

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    Second, they got 4.5 million dollars worth of real estate ( which will undoubted be liquidated with the proceeds used to offset gov't budget deficits).
    So true about the money. Strip clubs are such easy targets. From what I have heard, when they closed down Jaguars in Las Vegas the cops took over the club for pennies on the dollar and then sold it to Scores for a very large profit.
    Big Big Money Real Estate.

    Targeting custys who solicit dancers for prostitution would also be extremely profitable. But.... due to the fact that a lot of custys have money and a "good reputation in their community" they are not such easy targets.
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