Fla. Strip Bar Lawsuit Going to Mediation

DESTIN, Fla. — The ongoing dispute between the city of Destin and the Oasis pool hall about nude dancing is going to arbitration by court order.

Terry Stephenson, who leases the Oasis, filed suit in federal court last November after Destin turned down his request for a business license to provide nude dancing. Destin City Manager Greg Kisela told reporters that the court has ordered the two sides into mediation, which is expected in late June.

Nude and topless dancing were completely banned in Destin and adult entertainment was restricted to the city's industrial zoned areas. Facing fears of constitutional challenges, the city passed a new ordinance in January regulating strip clubs and other "sexually oriented businesses" such as adult video stores, adult bookstores and "sexual device shops."

The ordinance requires the owner and staff of sexually oriented businesses to take out city licenses; prohibits nudity; allows semi-nudity if performers are at least six feet from the customers; bans alcohol from the premises; and limits the hours from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.

In February, Stephenson's attorney, Greg Edinger, filed an injunction against the new ordinance, charging that it violated the 1st Amendment and that the city's legal advertising for the hearings didn't follow Florida law. Although the city disagreed, it repeated the ordinance approval process with new legal ads and revised definitions.

Even without the ordinance, the Oasis is not legally zoned to offer nude dancing, and Stephenson's lawsuit challenges that position too.

In court filings, the Oasis' attorneys admitted the club already has occasional nude dancing, which could lead to a citation if the dancers were caught in the act.

Code Enforcement Director David Bazylak said that officers and sheriff's deputies have been visiting the Oasis several times a week but "the times Code Enforcement has been in there, we have not seen them doing that."

Kisela said that even though the city has to meet with Stephenson and his attorneys, it won't change its position. "We'll listen [but] we're still committed to the regulatory ordinance. We're not deviating from that at all."

Edinger said Stephenson's position that the denial of a business license unfairly infringes on his rights has not changed either, but "I'm always optimistic going into mediation. I've settled most of these cases."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Emily Oberg Launches 'Sensual Sport' Line of Sexual Wellness Products

Emily Oberg, the entrepreneur behind the successful clothing label Sporty & Rich, has launched Sensual Sport, a new line of sexual wellness products.

Wyoming Governor Signs Age Verification Law

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed the state's new age verification bill into law yesterday.

JO Debuts Travel-Sized Misting Toy Cleaner

JO has introduced a 2-ounce travel-sized version of its misting toy cleaner.

Orion Debuts 'Sweet Smile' Remote-Controlled Panty Vibe

Orion Wholesale has introduced the RC Panty Vibrator Extra Slim from its Sweet Smile line.

Florida Bill Would Auto-Filter Porn for All Users, Not Just Minors

Florida lawmakers have introduced legislation to require manufacturers to equip tablets and smartphones with a filter that would prevent all users from accessing material deemed harmful to minors, to be automatically enabled on devices activated in that state.

Sportsheets Debuts 'Velvet Noir' Collection

Sportsheets has introduced its new Velvet Noir collection.

Kheper Debuts New 'Hustler Centerfolds' Playing Cards

Kheper Games has introduced its new "Hustler 50 Years of Centerfolds” deck of playing cards.

KinkStore.com Debuts Updated 'Electro Zapper'

Kink Store has introduced an updated version of its Electro Zapper.

Nigeria to Ban All Porn Websites, Penalize Non-Compliant ISPs

Nigeria's House of Representatives on Tuesday directed its telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to immediately block all porn websites across the country and to enforce that ban.

Show More