The County Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit against RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc., and JAI Dining Services Inc. Sept. 20, one day after a new establishment, ‘Chicas Locas’ opened to the public.
Chicas Locas, located at 11377 Gateway West, the previous location of Jaguars Gold Club, opened Sept. 19 under conditions set forth by a prior settlement agreement.
However, the County Attorney’s Office alleged noncompliance against the business stating that the requirements of the settlement agreement had not been met.
In the previous lawsuit against RCI Holdings Inc., former owners of Jaguars and current owners of Chicas Locas, the city stated that any new business opening at the same location was to abide by the following orders:
The County Attorney’s Office claimed that the establishment has not provided evidence of the employment of peace officers or a copy of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) liquor license.
Though the El Paso location has not explicitly advertised the business as a “strip club”, the Chicas Locas brand has been marketing itself as the “No. 1 rated Latin Strip Club.” But the county has now cited eight violations of the city’s fire code as of Sept. 5.
“The State learned through social media posts that a business called “Chicas Locas” would have a “grand opening” on September 19, 2024, and that such a business would be operating without meeting the conditions set out by this court,” city officials said in the lawsuit.
Theater major Stephani Howard feels uneasy about the opening of Chicas Locas under the same company.
“First of all, it’s crazy that they want to bring it all back and just change the name. But if they didn’t face any issues, if they didn’t face any consequences, which I feel every action should have a consequence, then let’s be real,” said Howard. “They’re just going to do the same thing until they get caught again.”
With the El Paso community divided on whether clubs like these should be allowed to operate, some members believe there is a need for stronger disciplinary action for those who violate the law like UTEP theater major Murdock Rojas.
“I don’t have like, I guess you could say, a moral stance against these kinds of establishments,” said Rojas. “I just believe that when these businesses do break the rules, they need to be prosecuted to set an example for the rest of these businesses.
According to the lawsuit filed by the County Attorney’s Office in February, RCI Holdings Inc., former owners of Jaguars, committed several criminal violations which resulted in the permanent closure of the club.
A court hearing for the lawsuit the County Attorney’s Office filed against Chicas Locas Bikini Bar is scheduled for Oct. 16.
If the court finds evidence of any violation of the injunctive order, the business may forfeit a $5,000 bond to the County Attorney’s Office and will shut down for one year.
Alyda Muela is the web editor and may be reached at [email protected]
