GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. - Platinum Plus will reopen its doors in November after a Greenville judge signed a $66,500 settlement filed Thursday morning.
The judge ordered the strip club to shut down last month under the nuisance ordinance until a civil case against it could go to trial.
The lawsuit followed at least 20 arrests after a nearly year-long undercover prostitution investigation there by Greenville County Sheriff's Office agents.
The settlement would allow Platinum Plus to open its doors again on Nov. 8 at noon, after being closed for six months.
The company that owns the strip club, Elephant, Inc., will pay Greenville County $50,000 to defray the cost of bringing the lawsuit.
The company will also pay Greenville non-profit SWITCH $10,000 to help its mission to end human trafficking and forced prostitution in the upstate.
The proposed settlement will also require the company to ensure there is video surveillance in all areas of Platinum Plus where dancers interact with customers, including the Champagne Room and the Couch Room. Greenville County Sheriff's Office and the solicitor's office will have full access to that video at any time.
Elephant, Inc. will also pay $6,500 for an independent “Monitor” appointed by the solicitor, who would visit the club up to 20 hours a month for one year to make sure there are no violations.
Greenville County Sheriff Steve Loftis said last month investigators spent $26,000 on strippers and alcohol for the investigation. Loftis said all the money for “Operation Champagne” came from drug seizures and none of it was taxpayer dollars.
The sheriff's office has signed 69 warrants because of the investigation. Sixty-eight of them were for prostitution or exposing private parts in a lewd and lascivious manner.
The other warrant was for distributing marijuana. The sheriff said an undercover agent bought marijuana from a dancer off-site.
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last commentSounds like a fun new PP ...lol....NOT !
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So now it becomes like all the other low mileage clubs -- a place for eye candy and OTC hookups.
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I doubt I will get lap dances if video can be obtained for no reason at all from other interested parties just because they want it. It sounds like an air dance club.
not even sure if I will visit unless I just want to watch the stage dances. I did do nothing but that my last two visits.
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Blackmail, pure and simple.
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I really thought maybe there was a scam going on to close the club and seize the land. I heard they didn't get any results only offering dancers up to $300. I was wondering if the police had been paid off by a nearby megachurch to try to get the land cheap using the police to make claims they were operating illegally. seemed like it worked I thought. It still might be a plan. At least all the criminals running around Greenville can feel safer knowing the cops will be busy checking out strip clubs and strip club videos. sarcasm. I don't take comfort in knowing criminals may feel safer but I feel like big brother is constantly watching.
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It looks like they are going after SCs like they did the tobacco companies in the 90s.
I heard all those anti-smoking ads on TV (and who knows what else) is paid for by the tobacco company as part of its settlements.
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"The proposed settlement will also require the company to ensure there is video surveillance in all areas of Platinum Plus where dancers interact with customers, including the Champagne Room and the Couch Room. Greenville County Sheriff's Office and the solicitor's office will have full access to that video at any time."
No thanks
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I heard on the local news the club would reopen with new rules including no contact between dancers and customers at any time. That sounds ridiculous. I often have contact with cashiers when I hand them money. It won't matter to me because I won't visit. I guess they don't want visitors in South Carolina anymore. That means no lap dances, only air dances. It sounds unconstitional per south Carolina law to forbid all contact.
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