By Ben Tinsley
The Daily News

Published June 16, 2007

GALVESTON - A club featuring topless dancers will have to close if a recent Galveston County decision to revoke its Sexually Oriented Business permit is upheld.

Ironically, the decision was based on county officials’ contention that Dimitri’s Cabaret in the 1200 block of the Gulf Freeway had already been closed for some time.

They said its doors had been shut for more than the 30-day statutory maximum it can be legally closed and still retain the permit.

The Galveston County Health District, which oversees the three strip clubs in the unincorporated part of the county, recommended the permit be revoked after arriving for an inspection to find the club abandoned, said Martin Entringer, the health district’s manager of consumer health services.

Information from passers-by who reported the club was closed also contributed to the decision, he said.

The club’s owners have initiated an appeal, according to the county. It was unclear Friday what the owners would argue in the appeal.

Chris Korras, owner of both Dimitri’s and Ocean Cabaret, an all-nude club next door, could not be reached for comment Friday. Calls left on the voicemail at Ocean Cabaret went unanswered Friday. When contacted in person, the manager deferred comments to an attorney who was not immediately available.

Entringer said the club was discovered closed in April.

“A letter was sent to Mr. Korras informing him we were going to shut the operation down for good because his facility being closed violated regulations,” Entringer said. “We received a letter from an attorney in response, asking for the hearing.”

If the permit were revoked, Korras wouldn’t be able to re-open a sexually-oriented business on the property because regulations now forbid such businesses being that close to one another, Entringer said. The two clubs were grandfathered when the regulations were created.

The county oversees Dimitri’s, Ocean Cabaret and Lipstick Gentlemen’s Club in the 3600 block of state Highway 146, said Galveston County Judge James Yarbrough and Dr. Mark Guidry, executive director of the Galveston County Health District.

The county has been regulating sexually-oriented business permits for the clubs for about seven years.

On Wednesday, county commissioners will select an examiner to oversee the hearing at which the permit revocation will be appealed.

The hearing tentatively is set for July and the business remains technically open for now, officials said.

Yarbrough said managing sexually-oriented businesses in Galveston county is tricky because the county doesn’t have the same ability to regulate them as cities do.

“Because cities can regulate better, many businesses don’t locate in city limits,” he said.

For More Information Contact:
Kurt Koopmann
Public Information Officer
Galveston County Health District
409-938-2211 or 409-392-0007
kkoopman@gchd.org