On Dec. 12, the Scottsdale City Council voted unanimously to pass new regulations that, among other things, forbid nude dancing and requires clear zones of several feet around dancers. The move was a direct response to media coverage of adult star Jenna Jameson’s ownership stake in one area club, Babe’s Cabaret, earlier this year.
Club owners say the restrictions will cost them valuable floor space and could put them out of business.
Now the group Citizens Against Bad Government is collecting signatures in an effort to put the issue on the ballot and overturn the Council’s decision. Todd Borowsky, owner of Skin Cabaret, also is asking registered voters to stop by his club to sign a petition. And Jameson is encouraging residents to e-mail their names and phone numbers to Freedom@jennajameson.com.
“The city should concentrate its limited resources on important consensus issues and not on matters which merely reflect officials' personal agendas," Citizens Against Bad Government said in a statement.
The parties have until Jan. 11 to gather 3,384 valid signatures from registered voters. If successful, residents will get to vote on the regulations.
Borowsky said he is in contact with Citizens Against Bad Government and, through his attorneys, also has contacted Jameson's representatives, but as of yet, the three parties have not joined forces in the signature-gathering effort.
Meanwhile, City Council candidate Nan Nesvig, a candidate for City Council, also has complained to the Arizona Attorney General's Office that the Council may have violated the state’s Open Meeting Law before putting the issue to a vote.
