GOV, Broadview zoning board of appeals and planning commission consider strip bar [BV, W]

Over 130 people formed an overflow crowd at the Broadview village meeting room.


This is Joe Inovskis talking to David Pollard of the Pioneer Press.

I've been to some heated local government meetings, including Oak Park's testimony over whether to have a domestic partnership registry. The level of emotion at last night's meeting in Broadview exceeded anything I'd witnessed. People were angry in the way they get when they are serious about. It wasn't the posturing for effect; these people were deeply opposed to Joe Inovskis' proposed strip bar.

Some people raised the issue of morality, but some the residents opposing the strip bar included nurse who worked through school as a dancer, a strip club patron, a guy who grew-up near strip clubs in Melrose Park and Stone Park and a guy who used to work security in a strip club. The Westchester residents were convinced the strip bar would reduce property values. A Westchester man who worked in the mortgage industry said his lenders do not write mortgages on properties too close to strip clubs.

James J. Roche & Associates did not serve as Inovskis' lawyer.

I was also impressed with how vague Inovskis' plan was. The formal request was basically a blank check for a 24/7 17,000+ square foot club with no restrictions.

In his supplemental testimony he tried to portray it as Gibson's Steakhouse with tits.

Inovskis brought an engineer and his head of security, Kenny Tsai. Tsai was cocky and probably hurt his "bosses" case. When asked about his credentials to do security work he started talking about his father being a grandmaster in China--I suspect he meant Taiwan--and his father serving in the Chinese military.

[UPDATE: Chicago Tribune (Matt Baron) covers the story.

Other than Inovskis and his consultants, nobody voiced support for the plan. In an interview during a break, Inovskis acknowledged that he expected opposition. But he expressed surprise at its ferocity.

[Baron quotes Brian Cross, but missed Cross' strongest words, "You want to ruin my dream [of owning a home]." Cross was one of the many who seemed genuinely pissed, like he was taking the proposal personally.]