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Pechanga casino closes Eagles Nest, Silk nightclubs; cites alcohol problems

10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 25, 2008

By MICHELLE DeARMOND
The Press-Enterprise

The Pechanga Resort & Casino has closed two nightclubs because of
alcohol-related problems.

The Eagle's Nest and the Silk club, a popular attraction that featured
go-go dancers, were shut down last week because of unspecified alcohol
issues.

"Tribal leaders have determined that an unacceptable number of incidents
involving alcohol consumption have occurred at Pechanga Resort & Casino,"
said Amy Minniear, president of the Pechanga Development Corp., in a
statement. "We are deeply troubled by these incidents and are taking
numerous and decisive actions to prevent them from occurring in the
future."

Pechanga did not reply to requests for details on whether the incidents
involved fights, underage drinking or other problems. The tribe also did
not say what it will do with those rooms while the clubs are closed or how
long they will be closed.

Capt. Jerry Williams, who supervises the Riverside County Sheriff's
Department's Temecula station, said Pechanga patrons sometimes become too
intoxicated to drive or get into fights, but not in excessive numbers.

"I was surprised to hear that the clubs were closing. That was an internal
decision made by Pechanga," Williams said. "In my opinion, it's responsible
management on their part."

The casino pays for three or four officers to work there on weekend nights,
he said. The officers' focus usually was on the Silk nightclub, which
attracted up to 3,000 guests each night, Williams said.

"There are more problems (at the casino than other drinking
establishments), but I think it's 10,000 to 30,000 people driving there
every day," he said. "With that many people being there and alcohol
served," problems will occur.

The California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control has taken no
disciplinary action against the casino, said John Carr, a spokesman. The
agency will not confirm whether it's investigating a business, he said.

The closures caught the attention of casino managers elsewhere in the
Inland area, although none reported similar problems.

The Morongo Casino Resort & Spa had earlier issues with one of its
nightclubs.

"The Vibe, which was our venue similar to Pechanga, was closed in
mid-December already, and the reason why was we were experiencing some of
the similar problems to Pechanga," said Patrick Dorinson, a
public-relations consultant for the tribe. "And that was not consistent
with the Morongo entertainment experience we try to provide our customers."

The tribe now uses that space for a showroom and has a nightclub in the
resort tower that has "a very controlled atmosphere" and a dress code,
Dorinson said.

Reach Michelle DeArmond at 951-368-9441 or mdearmond@...