Jenna Jameson Wins in Scottsdale

Porn star Jenna Jameson scored a last-minute win in Scottsdale tonight when the City Council met to consider tightening restrictions on local sexually oriented businesses. Many strippers, community members and curious onlookers were in attendance, and several dancers could be seen entering and exiting the meeting smoking cigarettes outside city hall as the city waded through 2.5 hours of other discussions before addressing the hot issue before the council.

After over 2 hours of public testimony the council voted 7-0 to approve tougher rules regulating sexually oriented businesses. However, the proposed rules were sufficiently watered down in response to business concerns. The major victory for Jameson was that a proposed ban on alcohol was ultimately stricken from the ordinance, allowing the porn star to continue serving liquor at her establishment. Also, a proposed 6-foot separation rule was shortened to 4-feet, allowing strippers to get a little closer to their patrons.

The new Scottsdale strip club ordinance does 3 things: 1. bans nudity, 2. establishes a four-foot separation between stripper and customer, 3. bans all touching.

Supporters of the tougher restrictions repeatedly mentioned the lewd and immoral behavior that accompanies these businesses. A community member who shares an alley with one of the clubs referred to the "terrible things" she'd seen while taking out the trash. Unfortunately, their needs went unrecognized by city leaders.

Opponents argued that the ordinance would effectively put the strip clubs out of business. John Miller, owner of Papago Brewing asked, "How long is it going to be until they come after my business?" Have no fear, John. The city would never want to offend someone who serves booze.

Opponents of the original tougher restrictions fail to realize that it is not the nature of what happens inside strip clubs that is the problem. Indeed, erotic dancing is a constitutionally-protected action. It is the negative secondary impacts to neighborhoods - rising violent crime, prostitution and drug trafficking - that are sufficient for the city to aggressively restrict activity at these clubs. However, the Scottsdale City Council chose to bend over for the liquor lobbyists, and that means local residents will continue to be caught over a barrel when it comes to strip clubs in their neighborhoods.

Tag: Scottsdale
Tag: Jenna Jameson