Disputed gentleman’s club in downtown Springfield opens for first time

The contested gentleman’s club in downtown Springfield opened to the public for the first time on Thursday night.

“Jazzy G’s Gentleman’s Club”, which shares a space with Voodoo Moon House of Blues and Brews on North Fountain Ave., has already received a preliminary warning from the City of Springfield stating that the club could be in violation of zoning regulations if the management went through with opening.

Ardell Williams said in a Facebook post that the club will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Williams is in charge of networking at the club, said Voodoo Moon owner, Renea Turner.

The letter from the city states that the current zoning of Turner’s business does not allow for an “adult business,” which is defined as “any sexually oriented business which focuses upon sexual activities and/or anatomical areas in conducting a business for adult entertainment.”

Examples of this type of business are adult cabaret, adult arcades or adult book stores.

The city said it learned of the proposed opening through a Feb. 26 Facebook post and the description of the club in the post, which included “VIP/private dances,” had characteristics of an “adult business.”

In order to house such a business, the location would need to be rezoned, which the City has already stated it would not support.

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Turner said the venue has hosted Chippendale dancers in the past, and it did not create an issue with zoning.

A mother who was in the area of the club during the opening said she’d like to see something more family-friendly downtown.

Williams has said the club is different from a strip club because there will be no nudity. Waitresses at the club were wearing various black lingerie outfits on Thursday.

Springfield police officers conducted a walk through of the club around 10 p.m. on Thursday.

The City previously said it will be monitoring the situation.

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