Homepage / Las Vegas News
E-Mail News Alerts
Get breaking news and daily headlines.
Browse all e-mail newsletters

Prive Busted: Drugs, Prostitution Alleged

Gaming Board Investigating Vegas Nightclubs

POSTED: 9:24 pm PDT July 13, 2009
UPDATED: 7:50 am PDT July 14, 2009

Planet Hollywood was slapped with a $750,000 fine Monday for failing to control activity inside the Prive Nightclub. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is not turning a blind eye to illegal activity at the club or any other Las Vegas nightspots.

The Gaming Control Board sent every casino nightclub a letter in April saying that they would not tolerate illegal activity.

Prive is owned by a third party. They have crossed the line, and everyone else up and down the Strip is on notice. The Hollywood-style way nightclubs may operate across the Valley will no longer be tolerated.

Last Friday, Planet Hollywood was given nine violations concerning Prive, ranging from dumping customers outside in various states of consciousness to excessive inebriation to patrons under the influence of controlled substances to serving and over-serving alcohol to minors.

“Well, they were serious. If you look at the language of the complaint, a number of issues put the board in a position where they felt they needed to take necessary action,” said Randall Sayre of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Planet Hollywood admitted to all allegations and have already made changes to clean up the club. When asked for comment, the owners of Prive, The Opium Group, declined.

“A lot of the things going on at nightclubs would strike people as pretty strange. There are a lot of allegations of drug use, of sexual assault,” Sayre said.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas' director of the Center for Gaming Research, Dr. David Schwartz, said Sin City brought this upon itself.

“Certainly not the kind of things you want to have going on in these industries that are the focal point of the state's reputation,” Schwartz said.

Are sweeping changes for Las Vegas casino nightclubs on the way?

“I would take this as a serious message that I need to know what's going on on my property,” Sayre said.

Sayre said many clubs are under either overt or undercover investigation. He said more complaints will be coming.

Planet Hollywood agreed to pay $500,000 of the fine up front. The last $250,00 will be waived if no further violations are found over the next 12 months.


Links We Like
Sponsored Content
You can pick your friends, but not your family -- or your neighbors. Here's what you need to know about how to deal with yours. More

Find out what a sputtering economy and an increasingly difficult to crack job market means to you. More

Are you often tired or rushed in the morning? Give your morning habits a makeover, and start the day feeling positive and energetic instead. More

If you're looking to save on your next new vehicle, a low sticker price is just one aspect. Consider all the costs and make the right decision. More

Sponsored Links

Consumer Info



Sponsored Content Provided by ARA

Desktop Weather 24/7