Adult Entertainment Resumes In Baltimore Friday Afternoon After City Agrees To Lift COVID Restriction
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- After Baltimore City reached an agreement with strip clubs Wednesday, adult entertainment venues were allowed to reopen on Friday afternoon.
The change took effect at 3 p.m. Friday. Under the latest executive order from Mayor Brandon Scott, entertainment venues, including adult entertainment, comedy clubs and nightclubs, can allow live performances but performers must wear masks and practice social distancing rules at all times.
This comes days after the owner of a Baltimore strip club sued the city over COVID-19 regulations he said unfairly targeted adult entertainment venues. The club and city reached a settlement allowing them to reopen.
Andrew Alley of The Penthouse Club said his First Amendment rights were being violated since other indoor entertainment venues like bowling alleys and skating rinks were able to reopen.
"We're glad we came to this meeting of the minds, but they pushed us to the edge," Alley said.
In a news release, the club said it was "thrilled to be resuming live entertainment, and is ecstatic that their staff members will once again be able to return to work.
"We're a microcosm of the city—single mothers, college students, heads of household," Alley said.
Minutes after being allowed to reopen, the club sent out an email saying they "fought hard to bring you the show you've been missing for months!"
In neighboring Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, adult entertainment has been open at 50% capacity.
Alley said that is proof these clubs can open safely.
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