Former Jaguars location opens as ‘Chicas Locas’
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — RCI Holdings, the company that owned the infamous Jaguars strip club that was forced to shut down by the El Paso County Attorney’s Office, has been promoting a grand opening BYOB (bring your own beverage) party on Thursday, Sept. 19 of a new establishment under the name “Chicas Locas.”
On Thursday afternoon, KTSM crews captured a fair amount of activity at the establishment before the announced opening at 6 p.m.
People could be spotted adding finishing touches to the establishment such as an outside light, and about an hour and a half prior to the announced opening time, several women, seemingly workers, arrived at the location.
As we’ve reported extensively, the County Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit earlier this year that forced Jaguars to close down after investigators collected evidence alleging that the club had become a center of persistent criminal activity.
City, County Attorney’s Office file lawsuits against Jaguars for alleged illegal activity
The investigation documented numerous instances of illegal alcohol sales, drug use, prostitution and other violent criminal activity.
It was also documented the failure to have a business license, or a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) required to sell alcohol.
The County Attorney’s Office reached a lawsuit settlement agreement with the owners that ultimately forced the establishment to close down.
El Paso County Attorney’s Office: Jaguars closes down after lawsuit settlement agreement
The agreement, however, did allow the owners to open a new establishment at the same location under a different name with the requirement to apply for a TABC license and under the condition that they do not operate as a Sexually Oriented Business (SOB).
According to a website by RCI Holdings, Chicas Locas is “Texas’ number one rated Latin Strip Club.”
The El Paso location will mark the fifth location of the franchise, but the website describes the location as a “BYOB Bikini Bar” unlike the other four.
KTSM reached out to the City of El Paso regarding the establishment’s intent to open Thursday evening, they provided the following statement:
“As the City has previously advised, the City is actively pursuing legal action against RCI Holdings, the company responsible for operating the Jaguars strip club, for ongoing violations of the City’s Sexually Oriented Business (SOB) ordinance.
“The City is aware and concerned about RCI Holdings attempting to reopen the establishment under a new name, ‘Chicas Locas,’ this evening.
“RCI Holdings has a documented history of serious legal infractions in El Paso, Odessa and Midland.
“The City is seeking court intervention to impose fines on RCI Holdings for its previous violations and to prevent the company from operating without the necessary licensure. The City is also seeking an injunction to prevent any additional unlawful activities from occurring at the Chicas Locas location.
“The City remains vigilant to any SOB violations.”
The City said that as of Thursday evening, there was no SOB application submitted for the Chicas Locas establishment.
Officials from the TABC also told KTSM that there was no active permit to sell alcohol for the Chicas Locas establishment but said that a business does not need a TABC permit to operate as a BYOB establishment.
“State law only requires a permit if a business intends to sell alcohol; allowing patrons to bring their own and consume on the premises doesn’t fall under the definitions of “sales,” said TABC’s director of communications Chris Porter.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
#Jaguars #location #opens #Chicas #Locas