Clark County to sue ‘clothing-optional lifestyles club’ operators
On paper, the two-bedroom home is a church.
But inside “Zen Temple Las Vegas” on Harmon Avenue, investigators found a dance floor, massage tables, shelves of liquor and rooms divided into a makeshift motel.
There were business cards linking to a website containing photos of the property and advertising “the world’s sexiest clothing-optional lifestyles club.”
“VIP Prayers Beds” surrounded a pool in the backyard. Inside the house was a tall black box with “Free Mammogram” written in white letters above two circular holes.
The November investigation into 2461 E. Harmon Ave. — documented with photographs and undertaken by Metro police and Clark County code enforcement officers – raised suspicion among government officials about the property’s use.
“They appear to be operating a business from this residential property, not a church,” code enforcement officer Lonnie Mann wrote in an internal email.
County commissioners voted Tuesday to allow the District Attorney’s Office to sue the operators of the property and another home with which it shares a backyard. County records show Dewey and Julie Wohl from Northridge, California, bought the two homes in late 2016 for $610,000.
The Wohls could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The residential homes are being used illegally as a spa, nightclub, bar and motel under the names Sea Mountain and One Love Temple, according to county documents. County attorney Robert Warhola told commissioners the infractions violate health department code, county code and state law.
The county designated the home at 2461 E. Harmon Ave. as a place of worship before the Wohls bought it. However, one person complained to the Better Business Bureau last June that loud music and people screaming could frequently be heard from inside the property.
“Thumping noises are heard in my house with all windows and doors closed,” the complaint stated. “Music all day and night at high volume. … I will continue to call police after hours and will not stop until this excessive noise comes to a stop!”
After the investigation by police and code enforcement officers in November, the county sent multiple code violation notices to the Wohls, demanding they shut down their business until receiving the proper permitting and licensing.
A final notice sent on Jan. 8 threatened criminal prosecution and fines of up to $500 a day if the problem wasn’t fixed in less than a month.
Commissioner Tick Segerblom, who represents the area, said the county has had difficulty getting the property owners to come into compliance.
“We’ve been citing them, and they’ve been ignoring us,” he said. “So it’s time to get serious.”
Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow @davidsonlvrj on Twitter.