Riordan Vetoes Permit for Hollywood Club

In an unusual action, Mayor Richard Riordan vetoed a City Council decision Monday and refused to grant a Hollywood nightclub a permit for entertainment and the sale of alcoholic beverages.

In his letter to the council, Riordan said he decided to reject the lawmakers’ action based on new information about a state investigation into the Hollywood Moguls nightclub as well as concerns by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Owners of the nightclub on Schrader Boulevard had asked for the conditional-use permit to allow dancing and the sale of alcohol. Their request, upheld by the Board of Zoning Appeals, was supported by Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, whose district includes the club but was opposed by a hotel owner in the area, who complained about noise and possible criminal activity.

The state Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control opened an investigation into the nightclub in October, about two weeks after the Board of Zoning Appeals approved the conditional-use permit. The state investigation focuses on allegations that the club violated several previously imposed conditions, including failure to hire security guards and serving alcohol without proper permits. In addition, the state agency is investigating the club’s hiring of a dancer to perform simulated sexual intercourse and oral copulation.