On Wednesday, January 26, the Dallas City Council voted unanimously to force all adult businesses in the city — including strip clubs — to close at 2 am. Two hours after that decision, the Texas ACE (Association of Club Executives) statewide chapter filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Dallas.
The new rules are a first for the city and went into effect immediately after the council approval, but likely can’t be enforced until the ordinance is published this Saturday (1/29).
The suit seeks to temporarily halt the city’s enforcement of these restrictions, which force clubs to shut down between 2 am and 6 am. The lawsuit argues that since the rules only target adult businesses, it infringes on constitutionally protected freedom of expression. The suit also argues that the restrictions would heavily impact the businesses’ revenues, cause workers to lose their jobs and other financial impacts. According to the Dallas Morning News, several club workers reportedly told council members before the vote Wednesday that most of their business comes after 2 a.m.
