Posted on Fri, Aug. 05, 2005
Nudity, gambling lead to review of bar
BY ALIANA RAMOS
News-Democrat
EAST CARONDELET - Frog's Sports Club Inc.'s liquor license was under review at a village hearing Thursday night because of police reports of nudity, gambling and underage drinking.
On Saturday, East Carondelet Police and the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department arrived at 707 Davis Street Ferry Road in East Carondelet and shut down Frog's bar after witnessing two nude women wrestling in a swimming pool filled with spaghetti noodles.
Ray Curtis, co-owner of the bar, asked Mayor Herb Simmons not to revoke the bar's liquor license. "Everybody deserves a second chance," Curtis said. "That's what we're asking for."
Village Attorney David Schneidewind asked for the village to revoke the bar's liquor license for violating local ordinances and state statutes regarding illegal gambling, nudity and underage drinking.
Simmons, who is the liquor commissioner for East Carondelet, said he would review all of the documents and render a decision today. He said he would notify the parties in writing.
During the hearing, Curtis said he had no idea that the nude entertainment was going on at his bar.
"It's my fault for not being there more often," Curtis said. "The fliers said spaghetti wrestling, not nude spaghetti wrestling. Somebody could have come to me with this information before."
According to the police report, it was bar co-owner Tom Williams who contracted St. Louis-based Unleashed Entertainment for $100, and agreed that the wrestlers would be able to keep their tips.
Williams, who was present at the hearing, declined to comment.
East Carondelet Police officer Tim Bedard testified during the hearing that the spaghetti wrestling contests had been held at least on two occasions: Once at the end of May and again on Saturday.
Bedard said that while he was undercover he took photographs of the women during one of the wrestling contests, and was approached by Williams to e-mail Williams a copy of the photographs.
Entertainment Unleashed is registered to a Wendy Fitter, according to Missouri secretary of state records. Fitter could not be reached for comment.
Former female employees of Frog's bar testified that Williams encouraged bartenders to flash patrons and pay out poker games. Both women said an underage boy had been served and had been to the bar on several occasions, including the wrestling matches.
Curtis submitted statements signed by one of his employees stating that all patrons were required to show identification, no matter how old they looked. It appeared that the 19-year-old used a fake ID.
A current employee testified that Williams had never asked her to flash a patron.
Contact reporter Aliana Ramos at
aramos@bnd.com or 239-2507.
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