BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – A southwest Bexar County strip club has been shut down, and community members are now celebrating.
The shutdown happened after a month-long investigation that was prompted by an Aug. 3 shooting in the club’s parking lot that sent one man and one woman to the hospital.
Deputies, along with Bexar County Marshals and the Department of Public Safety’s Violent Crimes Task Force, served a search warrant at the MGM Cabaret around 11:00 p.m. Thursday.
That led to the arrest of some people, involving both patrons and employees. Those charges included weapons, drugs and warrants charges.
Community members said they are happy and that they hope the club stays closed because it was too inappropriate for children in the small neighborhood of Von Ormy.
“We have been seeing a lot of girls and the way they are dressed around here. I have seen a lot of ugly stuff,” said Yolanda Salazar, a community member.
“The kids are seeing what is going on with (the girls at the club) and the little girls are thinking it is fine, and that should never happen,” said David Alvarez, a community member.
They said they are upset at the relocation of the city’s bus stop due to the strip club.
“The bus stop used to be at the road by where the club is now,” Salazar said. “That has been the bus stop since my kids were little. It was safer, but when they put a strip club there, they moved the bus stop to this road in front of the post office, and I don’t like it because there is more traffic up and down this roadway. It is just not safe and I fought it, but this happened anyway.”
The kids at the bus stop said they are happy the club is now closed.
“Sometimes we like to run around and race with my friends, but it is hard to do so because of them,” said one child. “The girls just come out all naked, and when we see that, we just got to go back home.”
Bexar County officials said the crime rate at the location is also very concerning to residents.
According to public information officer Johnny Garcia, they have responded to the club 80 times since 2016 for crimes including narcotics, warrant arrests and violent crimes.
The Bexar County Fire Marshal also posted notices on the building’s doors stating the club was in violation of the Bexar County fire code and constitutes a danger to public health and safety and a fire hazard. It also stated the building has not been issued a certificate of occupancy and the building’s occupancy classification has changed in violation of the Bexar County Fire Code Section 102.2.1.
“It is about time,” said Salazar. “I hope they keep it closed, and I hope they change the bus stop back.”
“We don't need it,” said Alvarez. “It is not doing anything for the community and it is putting our kids at risk.”
KSAT reached out to the MGM Cabaret for comment and has not heard back.
