Radio ads hit airwaves ahead of Silk Exotic Licensing Comm. vote
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A debate over a downtown strip club is heating up, as a committee is set to vote on the proposal on Friday, October 17th -- and Silk Exotic has taken to the airwaves in advance of that vote.
Radio ads are hitting the airwaves in an attempt to drum up support for a downtown strip club.
"Your voice, your encouragement and your support is needed. We'll be bringing new jobs to downtown Milwaukee by rejuvenating an empty building to bring in upscale adult entertainment," the radio ads say.
Silk Exotic is vying for a spot in a downtown building on Old World 3rd Street. Owners recently filed a restaurant and tavern license with the city.
A Licensing Committee is set to vote on Friday.
"This committee meeting is really where the rubber meets the road," Silk Exotic's Attorney, Jeff Scott Olson said.
The new ads are meant to rally people to attend Friday's committee meeting and ask the city to allow the club.
"There is a great deal of grassroots support for a downtown gentleman's club," Olson said.
"This is simply the wrong place at the wrong time," Stephen Chernof with the West Wisconsin Revitalization Task Force said.
Chernof has been working with business leaders to revitalize part of downtown Milwaukee. He says a strip club would do the opposite.
"We think that Silk does absolutely nothing to foster that and in fact creates an atmosphere that will not at all be inviting to families," Chernof said.
Chernof says he is hopeful the radio ads will not sway votes on Friday.
"I don`t think there`s any reason to have those sorts of ads in play here," Chernof said.
While both parties disagree, each wants a large attendance at Friday's meeting in their favor.
Anyone who has an opinion about Silk Exotic moving into downtown Milwaukee is encouraged to attend Friday's meeting. The Licensing Committee will take a vote and it will be passed along to the full Common Council.
If the license is approved, owners want to open the club on January 1st. City leaders have already twice denied Silk from opening a club downtown.