Voodoo Lounge gets city's OK for cabaret

The owner of a Strip District bar won City Council's approval Wednesday to operate an adult cabaret.

Because the owner, John Wargo, is not seeking a zoning variance, the city cannot keep him from operating the adult cabaret in the Voodoo Lounge as long as it meets the city's conditions, said Pat Ford, city zoning administrator.

Wargo has met the conditions and further agreed not to promote the exotic dancers with signs, banners or fliers, Ford told council members. "We're drawing a fine line on what we can and can't require," he said.

Five council members voted in favor of the conditional use exception. Barbara Burns and Alan Hertzberg voted against the conditional use, and Twanda Carlisle was absent from the meeting.

Wargo declined comment after the vote. He appeared briefly during the meeting to comment on an ad and article that appeared in a local motorcycle magazine.

A story in the January edition of The Cycle Source Magazine said the Back Room of the Voodoo Lounge had its "grand opening" on Dec. 13. A full-page ad in the magazine says, "Voodoo Lounge Back Room is open!" above a photograph of two women with exposed midriffs near a motorcycle.

Wargo said a friend had placed the ad, and he said the cabaret has not already opened.

"It is not operational, it has not been operational and that is not my ad," Wargo told council members.

In other business, council delayed a vote on two bills that seek to set additional conditions on adult entertainment venues and prohibit them from locating in neighborhood industrial areas. Those measures are scheduled to come up again for discussion Feb. 12.