SEATTLE — from www.komonews.com – The Seattle Mariners have dropped a lawsuit seeking to block a strip club from opening near Safeco Field.
The team announced the settlement Monday after the club owner agreed to modify proposed outdoor advertising and signage, and agreed to provide security outside the club whenever it is open.
Mariners spokesperson Rebecca Hale said the strip club did concede on some points, however.
“They agreed to certain limitations on signage, outdoor marketing and advertising, providing security outside the club during all hours of operation,” she said.
The strip club is set to open next year at 1530 1st Ave South, about 400 feet away from Safeco Field’s main gate.
The team initially tried to block the club by arguing that Safeco Field should be included in a city code prohibiting nude dance establishments within 800 feet of schools, parks and childcare centers.
But city officials ruled against the Mariners, and a judge later upheld the city’s decision.
“Safeco Field is not regulated as a community center under the Land Use Code, nor do the stadium or its associated facilities qualify as ‘public parks and open space’ uses,” wrote city planner Andrew McKim in the decision.
The Mariners argued that the city codes’ intent was to keep strip clubs 800 feet away from areas where children congregate.
But to the judge, the intent was not enough. The judge said if the codes were intended to apply to all places where children tend to congregate, they would have explicitly said so.
The children’s issue aside, the attorney for the strip club owner said, the new business may even do Mariners fans some good.
“There are a lot of males that frequent this area, often with lots of alcohol in them and testosterone in them. Probably a good group to have come in and get in on a non-alcoholic setting, and wait it out before they drive home,” said Peter Buck.