City moves to suspend license of downtown Albuquerque strip club
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – City leaders are hoping to suspend a downtown strip club, and they announced it while talking about increasing safety in the area.
They said a recent inspection on Dec. 22, 2023, at Knockouts is what has the club in hot water.
“We are all aware in general that this establishment being connected to lots of illegal activity over the years. Including most recently the homicide inside the club that involved a 16 year old, who obviously should not have been in there, who also had a gun that should not have been in there. As well as the associated firearm with someone who was inside the club that also had a firearm,” said Mayor Tim Keller.
The city announced their plan to suspend the club’s business license on Wednesday. City officials said this comes after a code violation that gave the mayor the authority to shut down the business for 30 days.
“They are required to have proper identification records for each entertainer, each person who is employed here as an adult cabaret performer. They did not do that, there are very good reasons for that law being on the books: to protect society, to protect everybody who comes in, and especially to protect the dancers who perform at places like this,” said Alan Varela, the city’s Planning Department director.
Knockouts were informed on Dec. 28, 2023, of the violation. They have a 15-day appeal window, if that doesn’t work, they have to shut their doors for a month.
“It’s a black and white case of not having what they were supposed to have as required by law,” said Varela.
Keller says there are other agencies involved, and the state is taking point on permanently shutting them down. He hopes the 30 days gives the state time to intervene.
“I will not tolerate blatant disregard for safety in our city, and we will use every tool at our disposal to try and hold folks accountable, in this case that means a 30-day closure,” he said.
This was just strike one for Knockouts. If they get a second violation from the city within a 12-month period, Keller can shut down the business for a year.
As for the 30 say suspension, that will go into effect starting Jan. 8, 2024.
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