The real question is what the Gardena City Council thought they were going to get from the founder of Hustler.
“A dispute over money — not to mention some consternation over a scantily clad woman in platform heels — is all that stands in Larry Flynt’s way as the porn-publishing mogul prepares to open his new Lucky Lady Casino in Gardena on Monday,” the Daily Breeze reports.
That scantily clad woman they’re referring to is the sexy cartoon marquee that’s slated to sit outside the new Flynt-owned Lucky Lady card club (formerly the Normandie Casino). City Council members think the come-hither sign is trashy and an affront to women. Since it’s also one of the first things you see when entering the city, they want it gone.
Flynt has refused to change the sign because... he’s Larry Flynt. The racy pinup jibes perfectly with the Hustler brand, which isn’t exactly known for subtlety.
But that hasn’t stopped the porn mogul from making some requests of his own. Flynt doesn’t want to agree to a set of minimum monthly taxes that would ensure a stream of steady revenue for the city.
While the city can’t dictate Flynt’s signage, the issue has been part of ongoing contract discussions. The payments, as well as the babe, were just some of the topics discussed at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Flynt already owns another casino down the road. He bought the Normandie after its owners pleaded guilty in a money laundering scheme.
Image Credit: Flickr User simpleskye, https://flic.kr/p/qcB2Za via (CC BY 2.0)