Downtown Milwaukee will be getting a strip club, which could open well before the Bucks' new arena in 2018, thanks to a measure that is expected to win Common Council approval.
The city has agreed to grant the license for a property at 730 N. Old World Third St. in order to get out of potential damage payments that could result in another $10-12 million, on top of the $1 million the city has already paid.
The agreement for the license is to two groups, Six Star Holdings, which operates three clubs under the Silk Exotic name in Milwaukee, Juneau and Madison. The other group is headed by Rad Buzdum, who operated at the location as Rusty’s Old 50.
Jon Ferraro, who has been the face of efforts to get the Downtown club, is not part of this application and will have no ownership in the new club, which will be called Executive Lounge.
For years, there have been repeated efforts to operate a strip club Downtown, each application failing before the License Committee of the Common Council. The settlement, negotiated by the City Attorney’s office and the Jeff Scott Olson law firm, was scheduled to be discussed in closed door session Thursday and heard by the committee Monday.
Mayor Tom Barrett has apparently given his approval for the deal, as have two members of the committee. Barrett has also reportedly spoken with merchants and leaders in the Westown area of the city.
The club, which could open by the end of the year, will be in a part of the city surrounded by hotels and close to the new arena district being developed by the Bucks, as well as the entertainment areas along Water St. and on Old World Third St.
Alderman Tony Zielinski, chairman of the committee, said after the $1 million settlement was approved by a federal appeals court in 2015 that it may be time for the city to look at settling other lawsuits it was facing in federal court.
Neither Zielinski nor attorneys for the plaintiffs returned phone calls Thursday.
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.
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