EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The Jaguars Gold Club is now permanently closed after a lawsuit settlement agreement, the El Paso County Attorney’s Office announced in a press release sent Wednesday, March 20.
The County Attorney’s Office provided the main terms of the settlement agreement including the following:
Jaguars will no longer operate at 11377 Gateway West.
The owners of the property may choose to open a new business at that address.
If a new business opens, it must apply for a TABC license and not operate as a sexually oriented business (SOB).
Any new business must close at 2:15 am.
The agreed order of settlement expires once the business obtains a TABC license or in 9 months.
Many conditions, including compliance with the City’s Fire Code, must be met before a new business can open.
If the owners decide to open an “adult entertainment” business, it must not be a sexually oriented business, or run afoul of the city’s SOB ordinance.
To ensure compliance, such a business is required to perform bag checks on all persons working at the business to check for narcotics, weapons, and condoms.
The new business is prohibited from using the word “strip” in advertisements and may not use images that violate the city’s SOB ordinance.
If independent contractors are hired for entertainment, they would not be required to give a portion of their earnings to the business, they would control their work hours, and decide what to charge for their entertainment.
All employees must be covered in a way that does not violate the SOB ordinance.
The County Attorney’s Office filed the lawsuit after a thorough investigation revealed that Jaguars had repeatedly violated the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code (TABC) and the Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code (CPRC), according to the press release.
The investigation documented numerous instances of illegal alcohol sales, drug use, prostitution and other violent criminal activity at the establishment, the County Attorney’s Office said.
“This settlement is a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses that operate as havens for crime and nuisance,” said El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal. “We are committed to protecting the safety and well-being of our community, and we will use all available legal tools to achieve that goal.”
“The settlement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Nuisance Abatement Team (NAT) of the County Attorney’s Office. The NAT investigates and prosecutes nuisance properties and businesses that pose a threat to the community,” read the press release.
If you believe that a property in your community is a “nuisance,” you can report it to the NAT by calling (915) 273-3238 or by emailing NATReporting@epcounty.com.
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