Attorney claims city interference in Chicas Locas' operations, denies violation

The attorney representing the operators of Chicas Locas- the former Jaguars club- fired back as El Paso's County Attorney filed a notice of violation, Friday, stating the new nightclub violated an agreement.

In the court documents, the county alleged the nightclub violated its settlement, but Casey Wallace, the attorney who represents JAI Dining Services El Paso Inc., told KFOX14 the violations were due to City interference.

"Quite frankly, it is a violation of my client's rights. It's a violation of their property interest," Wallace said.

Wallace filed a lawsuit against the City of El Paso for denying the nightclub access to the online portal to apply for or renew city permits, Friday afternoon.

"What we would like is for a court to order the City to stop the silly games about shutting us out of [an online] portal, moving our physical address out of the [online] portal, so that you can apply for permits and get the necessary things done," Wallace said.

Chicas Locas' counterclaim:

Meanwhile, Friday morning, the El Paso County Attorney filed a suit saying the club violated the original settlement made back when it operated as Jaguars and was shut down.

"We have not operated that business as 'Jaguars Gold Club', despite their implication in this pleading. We opened it as 'Chicas Locas,' and they know it," Wallace said.

The court documents states the building had a sign up that reads 'Jaguars.'

Though that sign was changed Friday, Wallace said the only reason the sign was still up Thursday was because of the "City's interference."

"We wanted to make a sign and put up the said, 'Chicas Locas', and the city has cut us out of the permitting process on that, and won't even won't approve or decline a permit for that," Wallace said.

Wallace said that is the same reason they haven't updated its fire permits, which is also alleged in the county's lawsuit.

"We asked if we could submit it previously on paper, we were told, no," Wallace told KFOX14. "Someone over there is playing games."

According to court documents, Chicas Locas was required to apply for a license to sell and serve alcohol, something Wallace said they did months ago.

"We paid the permit fees and the application fees, and we are waiting for TABC to issue or to decline the permit, and they've done neither," Wallace said.

That is the reason the club operates as a "bring your own beverage" bar, according to Wallace.

KFOX14 reached out TABC to ask why the permit was still being processed as Wallace said it typically takes 45 days.

TABC provided the following statement:

Every case is different and can be impacted by external factors such as protests, legal review, and more. At present, the business' application remains under review by TABC's Legal Team. One thing to note; TABC was not involved in local authorities activities at the location earlier this week. I'm unable to provide information on any findings by those officials.

The court documents also state the club is supposed to have peace officers and security cameras.

"We had two of them that last night, the El Paso Police Department folks saw what they were doing, complimented at how good of a job they were doing," Wallace said. "They say we never supplied them pictures of what the security cameras show. Well, we weren't required to, under the order."

The final alleged violation listed, states Chicas Locas is being advertised as a strip club, which goes against the settlement and the club lacks a license to operate as such.

"'Chicas Locas' is a brand," Wallace said. "The 'Chicas Locas' advertisement to which they are complaining, says that the brand is 'the number one rated Latin strip club.' But, if you go down and you look at the identity for El Paso, it says 'BYOB bikini bar' coming soon. It doesn't say it's a strip club," Wallace.

KFOX14 asked Wallace if the business operating Chicas Locas plans to eventually obtain a Sexual Oriented Business permit that would allow the business to once again operate as a strip club.

Wallace said that permit is not in the works and Chicas Locas will continue to operate as a Bikini Bar.

Meanwhile, Wallace told KFOX14 he may choose to file a counterclaim against the county.

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