It appears the economic crisis has claimed another victim as the owners of The Resort at Sheri's Ranch, a legal brothel located just west of Las Vegas in Pahrump, have apparently fallen on hard times. Three of their properties - the ranch itself, Sheri's Cabaret (a Gentlemen's Club) in Las Vegas, and some unrelated & undeveloped residential land elsewhere in Pahrump - go up for auction at Mandalay Bay in Sin City tomorrow afternoon. It appears that the brothel will continue to operate in the interim, as any prospective owner(s) must apply and be approved for brothel and liquor licenses by Nye County regulators (the brothel license itself is non-transferable and as such is not part of the auction). BTW, I do not know of the current operating status of Sheri's Cabaret.

I wonder if any of the other current brothel owners in Nevada will make a bid? Hopefully, we'll find out tomorrow.

Regards,
Speed Racer

And it started even before the economy hit the skids.  Every once in a while I drive Highway 95 between Las Vegas and Reno.  Five years ago there were several along that highway.  One by one they've been closing up.  Angels outside of Beatty.  The Cottontail Range.  A few others I don't recall the names to.  Nothing lasts forever.

...decline.  I used to drive out there from Vegas, but with the advent of TER, I no longer had to go out to the brothels to avoid the ROBs of Vegas.

Also, the brothels became popular after the Chicken Ranch got so much publicity from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas."  With popularity came price increases greatly exceeding normal inflation/cost of living.  

The brothel cut their own throats and they didn't see TER coming.

The owner doesn't run it, and the people that do are clueless about what makes guys want to go there.  The ladies tend to be less attractive than Sheri's as well.

These observations are from a few years back, when I put a purchase offer together for the place.  They are unlikely to close, since in spite of them, it spits out lots of cash.

I went up to the Bunnyranch while in Tahoe
once.The place is stocked with robs who want
close to four figures for a lousy hour.These
brothels suck,no bbbj as per law.I hope they
all close down.

If your observations are by your own admission so out-of-date, LP, why do you even post them? In all my experiences with the Chicken Ranch, which go back to 1997, I've never had a problem with their management or ownership (which BTW consists of more than one person).

While they don't have the large numbers of knockouts working there at the CR as they did in the late 1990s, they still have more than a few quality courtesans. This falloff is in part due to the competition from the house next door, whose owners spent megabucks on new and upgraded facilities in order to lure ladies, but got themselves into dire financial straits in the process. Plus, they've been through more than a few management changes over there. So if anyone is "clueless" about how to run a legal brothel, it's certainly those who've ran Sheri's into the ground and not their neighbors at the Chicken Ranch.

Yes, the CR has itself been for sale for several years now. But that's because the folks who own it have been wanting to retire, not because they're hurting for cash. So while you are certainly entitled to your opinion, LP, I sense that you may have an ax to grind here (if you were even involved in any supposed deal to buy the CR in the first place).

Regards,
Speed Racer

When business is slow or down, you need to do something to increase sales. Have promos, sales, incentives, marketing, etc just like any business. They can be temporary type solutions and not hurt their market. I know in this hobby, providers and brothels do not like to hear that, but it is just a supply and demand issue. Sometimes the price out ways the experience. Might be the case here or poor management. I am sure the hobby business is down like most other business during the down turn in the economy, it just a case of economics.

...but the main problem the southern Nevada brothels have is their distance from Las Vegas. Up in the Reno/Carson City area, the counties are somewhat smaller and much closer together. You can be at a legal cathouse in less than 20 minutes from either downtown Reno or even the state capitol building in Carson City. From the Las Vegas strip, you have a minimum drive of 50 minutes (and likely more, due to congestion and road construction).

So the Nye County houses have that major built-in disadvantage over their illegal escort competition. Yes, TER and the Internet in general have made it much easier for indie escorts to flourish and for their potential customers to contact them, not just in the Silver State, but nationwide. But that still doesn't prevent the rip-offs of the LV agencies (98% of which are disreputable), so since a legal and safe alternative exists in Nevada, at least hobbyists have a choice out there.

It would be a shame to see Nevada's brothels go away totally, and I don't think that will happen anytime soon. Especially up in the Tahoe area.

Regards,
Speed Racer

I noticed in the Reno/Tahoe/Carson areas there are not many independent providers or agencies. I assume because the population is much smaller and the tourist numbers are less. I think some girls that would be independents elsewhere, do work in the brothels in those areas because it can be safer for them and there is some business for the brothels in those areas. Just a short time ago brothels where all over the west. Then when we got "civilized" they were driven out.

Speedy I know from past posts, you are knowledgeable about the brothel business, too bad you dont buy the one in Pahrump and make it a success. If you do, let us know so we can give you some business.

...but the legal brothels, with the notable exception of Dennis Hof's operations outside of Carson City, have traditionally been reluctant to do a lot of promotion & marketing. They felt that their position was tenuous, subject to being outlawed at any time by the state (thus losing much of their investment in facilities, in addition to their hefty incomes from the bordellos), so for the most part they agreed to try and keep as low a public profile as possible to avoid making any political enemies. Don't ruffle any feathers and the Nevada politicians would leave them alone, was their thinking.

That culture has changed somewhat with Hof's never-ending publicity stunts and promotional appearances as well as from the overturning of the brothel advertising ban (as a result of Bobbi Davis' lawsuit a couple years ago). But the culture of for the most part staying silent, keeping a very low profile, and just raking in the money has nonetheless been very slow to change.

BTW, it has been reported that the owners of Sheri's Ranch got into their current financial trouble as a result of bad investments or outright fraud (don't know if they got swindled by Bernie Madoff or by someone similar). But they didn't have a stellar record in running their brothel either, as evidenced by several high-profile management shakeups there over the years since they first acquired the ranch. But that's just life in the business world.

Regards,
Speed Racer

...own a Nevada brothel, but I don't have that kind of money (or a Nevada residency, which is a requirement in most cases). At the moment, I just wish I had enough of an income to resume hobbying, both at the legal cathouses of the Silver State and with the many fine indie escorts out there and elsewhere throughout the country.

Best regards,
Speed Racer

P.S., If we were truly "civilized", we would have legal, regulated prostitution everywhere and not let the corrupt influence of organized religion dictate their stone-age, often hypocritical "morals" through government. I have often said that in a capitalist economic system, unless one is unemployed, retired, or self-employed we are ALL prostitutes. So why does society continue to look down on the women (and in some cases, men) in the world's oldest profession who are doing nothing more than practicing basic, fundamental capitalism every day?

Too many headwinds and no potential catalyst to overcome them in sight, economic recovery or not. The "upscale" resort idea was a costly gamble and it failed pretty badly. They should have stuck with the shitty trailers and maintained a profit margin.

I agree that TER was a devastating blow to this place. Maybe Bobbi Davis could keep it alive. She's the only brothel owner willing to do the unthinkable - fixed, advertised rates.

The person that I was dealing with was KG.  His main partner wanted out, and he was not hands on.  I also dealt with the madam (D) for tour and hands on info purposes.

Sheri's did indeed hurt their business, but it was largely that they underestimated the competition.  KG himself told me that the bar was a waste, since they "weren't in business to sell $5 beers".  Since you've been there, I'm sure you know how much difference there is between the 2 bars.

I don't believe that I said they were hurting for cash.  If I implied that, let me apoligize.  There was no debt at the time, so cash was plentiful.  The people that attempted to buy it had problems getting licensed.

If you'd like to continue the discussion offline, I'd be more than happy to discuss.  The details that brought me to my conclusion would be inappropriate here.  I've read your posts for quite a long time, and have the utmost of respect for you.  In fact, we've communicated previously.  I still think that my opinion of the CR has merit, in spite of it's age.

First you have the corruption and power grabbing political powers of Pahrump and the Nye county Sheriffs Office.  Those boys make the Mob look like choir boys.  

The CR has been for sale for many years.  The last offer was pretty good, but the Sheriff had a problem with the current owner and wanted him bankrupt.  So he delayed the regulatory investigation so long that the supposed buyers backed out.

Than you have the Swine Flu scare caused by Mr Change.  That chased away the Asian tourists famous for taking limo's filled with horny Asian business men to Sheri's.  Spending $1000's  at a time.

On top of that you have the newly arrived blue haired saints from California.  All of whom never knew what was in Pahrump until AFTER they bought their property.

These wonderful law abiding, never broke the law or had sex with the lights on ladies, suddenly realized their town was home to a legal but unholy business.  So they protest every chance they get to rid this temptation from their newly adopted lovely city.

The fear that Walmart may start selling Viagra for $4 a month has the little bingo busters up in arms...

And you know votes count.  

Finally you add the bad economy in vegas and the fact that every "In Room Entertainer" is stepping up their own marketing and cutting their own rates; is giving many customers a reason to stay in the casino a little longer and not take the trip over the hill...