By Dave Begel Contributing Writer Published Jun 29, 2016 at 2:40 PM

The amount the City of Milwaukee is going to have to pay as the result of losing a lawsuit in federal court over a license request for a strip club Downtown is finally settled.

The city has agreed to cut a check for $968,331.75 after losing its lawsuit at trial and again in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals after the initial verdict. The amount covers both the damage award and attorney fees.

Jon Ferraro, owner of Silk, said he was pleased the lawsuit was finally over and looked forward to an almost identical suit that is making its way through the federal court system.

Aldermen questioned whether the award in the pending lawsuit would be larger than this settlement and were advised by the City Attorney’s office that it likely would.

No timetable for the second lawsuit has been set, but Ferraro has maintained all along that he is willing to settle with the city if Silk is granted a license to operate a club Downtown.

Silk has applied for licenses several times in several different areas of Downtown, including some locations that are in the middle of vacant lots or broken down and empty buildings. Each time, residents and businesses in the area mounted campaigns to deny the license, and each request has been turned down by the council's licenses committee.

There are some observers who speculate that with new council leadership and the renewed focus on development of Downtown into a destination for business and convention travelers, the chances for a license may improve.

There is an agreement between the city and Silk to meet after the check has been cut to discuss settling the pending suit and any further lawsuits that are being prepared. Those meetings are expected to take place at the end of summer.

Dave Begel Contributing Writer

With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.

He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.

This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.

Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.