New Chula Vista Comedy Club, Strip Club, What’s the Diff?

The opening of a nude-dancing establishment on Bay Boulevard in Chula Vista has caused many Chula Vista residents worry and embarrassment over the past couple days.

In an interview on October 8, owner/operator Randy Welty said EyeCandy Showgirls will be open 11:00 a.m.–2:00 a.m. daily.

Anne Steinberger, marketing and communications manager for the City of Chula Vista, put out a press release on October 8 that stated, “the City Attorney’s office and the Chula Vista Police Department are gathering information on the nature of the activity…”

The city’s communication goes on to state that “the nature of the business at the Bay Blvd. location has not been confirmed, Chula Vista Municipal Code requires a special live entertainment business license for exotic dance operations and prohibits nude or simulated nude demonstrations or exhibitions at such places.”

In an interview on October 9, Steinberger said, “There is nothing new to report. The city is continuing its investigation.”

Steinberger also forwarded portions of the business-license application and an attachment from the tenant-improvement application. The license application is for a “cabaret”; however, the attachment forwarded by the city from Welty gives a detailed account of how Welty's comedy club will operate.

The attorney for Welty and EyeCandy, Roger Diamond, said in an October 9 interview that Chula Vista was being disingenuous. “The goal for the city is to be honest. How can they pretend to be mad or that they were fooled?” Diamond said the property was researched. “There are very few properties that are legal, but Bay Boulevard is one of them.”

When asked why the description of the business (cabaret) varied from the tenant-improvement application (comedy club), Diamond said, “What is the requirement? If they don’t have the authority to ban a strip club, what difference does it make if it’s adult entertainment or a comedy club?”

Diamond also mentioned he has won a number of cases on behalf of adult entertainment, including in San Bernardino, Garden Grove, Upland, and La Habra.