Joe Downtown: Owner of closed Neonopolis nightclubs denied access

/ Las Vegas Sun

Fresh paint and signs are seen at Drink & Drag, a new bar at Neonopolis featuring bowling and drag queens Thursday, April 26, 2012.

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Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman laughs after touring the main dance floor of Krave Massive gay nightclub with owner Kelly Murphy in the Neonopolis Mall in downtown Las Vegas Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013. The nightclub opened in June.

A judge denied Kelly Murphy access to his closed nightclubs inside Neonopolis today after his lawyer argued that despite being evicted a month ago, Murphy had the right to gain access to his personal property inside.

Justice Court Judge Melissa Saragosa disagreed with Murphy's lawyer, Dale Hayes, noting that incorrect documents had been filed with the court regarding the property.

Hayes said he had only been retained Friday.

“They should not be able to hold this property hostage,” he argued, saying the property “belongs to somebody else that we’re on the hook for.”

John Aldrich, attorney for FAC Holdings LLC, which manages Neonopolis, said his client wants the property held “because they owe us hundreds of thousands of dollars” in back rent.

The Nevada Taxation Department closed Krave Massive in August, citing the lack of a sales tax permit. The reasons behind the lack of a permit were not released.

Then, almost two weeks ago, the Las Vegas City Council denied tavern licenses for Krave, which opened in June — billing itself as the world’s biggest gay nightclub — as well as Drink & Drag, a drag queen bowling alley. Until then, Drink & Drag had remained open.

City officials said the tavern license applications were denied because they were not filed correctly.

Hayes said vendors who had leased property to Murphy were demanding their property back from both Krave and Drink & Drag, which are on the third and second floor of Neonopolis, respectively. Hayes said Murphy was locked out of his property unlawfully.

Murphy’s property in the clubs, Hayes said, totals roughly $500,000.

Saragosa denied Murphy’s request, saying she didn’t have the power to simply grant access. She said Murphy needed to properly file the case in Clark County District Court.

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Joe Schoenmann doesn’t just cover downtown, he lives and works there. Schoenmann is Greenspun Media Group’s embedded downtown journalist, working from an office in the Emergency Arts building.

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