HOUSTON. TX—In an act the club's attorney believes is a case of government harassment, a Galleria-area strip club called Treasures is being sued by the city of Houston, which says that the amount of trafficking, prostitution and drug use occurring at the club has made it such a nuisance that they want to close it down.
"Treasures is an epicenter of illegal activity," said Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan on Wednesday. "This is to close down one very big operation that impacts the community around it."
The action, filed May 16 in Harris County, was actually brought by both the city of Houston and the state of Texas against Treasures corporate parent, D.Houston.
"Defendants have knowingly allowed nuisance activity under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Chapter 125—including prostitution, narcotics, unlawfully carrying a weapon, aggravated assault, and aggravated robbery to habitually occur at Treasures," the complaint states. "In the last four years, more than thirty (30) Chapter 125 crimes have occurred at Treasures. And, within the past 12 months, more than five gang related activities involving the combination have occurred at Treasures, which meets the definition of 'continuously and regularly.'
"The frequency of the violations described above is prima facie evidence that the defendants collectively and knowingly tolerated the prostitution, promotion of prostitution, and unlawful delivery, dispensation, or distribution of controlled substances or dangerous drugs," it adds.
The plaintiffs also allege that despite the fact that the club has a lousy reputation in the community, the "Defendants have failed or refused to abate the nuisance. Defendants are likely to continue to maintain the property as a common and public nuisance unless restrained by an injunctive order of the Court or other such relief."
Irreparable harm will be felt by the citizens of Houston and Harris County if the club is not closed, the government further contends. It is asking the court to issue a "permanent injunction ordering Defendants, including the real property known as 5647 Westheimer Road, Houston, Harris County, Texas, to abate the nuisance and/or be forever enjoined from maintaining or participating in the common and public nuisance existing on the property."
Treasures' attorney, however, says that the city is resorting to an all-or-nothing tactic out of desperation, because it has failed to get the club's liquor license revoked.
According to the Houston Chronicle, "Treasures attorney Al Van Huff said the club is being targeted in retaliation for challenging the city's sexually oriented business ordinance and because the city has not persuaded the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to cancel or block the renewal of the establishment's liquor license."
The paper also characterized the suit as the latest episode in "the long-running battle between sexually oriented businesses and government officials." Sounds like it might make good reality show.
Texas v D.Houston can be accessed here.
