Mariners drop legal fight against strip club near Safeco Field

The Seattle Mariners have agreed to drop their legal fight to block the opening of a strip club near Safeco Field in exchange for the club's pledge to use discreet signs on the business.

Under the settlement announced Monday, the baseball team won't pursue its appeal of a judge's ruling that allowed the strip club.

The club, DreamGirls, a sister operation of Déjà Vu, has been sought by Seattle adult-entertainment businessman Roger Forbes. It will operate at 1530 First Ave. S., about 400 feet from the main entrance to the stadium.

In a lawsuit against the city, the team argued the club violated an ordinance that bars adult cabarets within 800 feet of community centers, public parks or open spaces, schools and child-care facilities.

King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick ruled in June that the city had properly granted a permit to the club, consistent with land-use rules that define a park and open space. The Mariners filed a notice of appeal in July.

The club's operators held off remodeling the site because of the appeal.

Forbes plans a 5,000-square-foot facility, with a main floor and two mezzanine levels. It would feature women dancing nude on stages, as well as lap dances, in which nudity is not allowed. No liquor would be served under licensing rules.

Under the settlement, the club operators agreed to certain limits on the building's outdoor signs and a canopy along First Avenue South and Occidental Avenue South, including the size and degree of lighting.

No pictures of women on a full-color outdoor video display will be shown on days when events aimed at children are taking place at Safeco, such as Little League days. Only messages with text would be permitted on those days. The agreement covers up to 15 baseball games and up to 12 other events such as graduations.

When displayed, those pictures cannot be sexually explicit. The video sign must be on First Avenue South and can't be visible on Occidental Avenue South, where many people walk to Safeco.

The club also will not use barkers to attract customers or use amplified sound outside the building. No live adult entertainment will be allowed on the roof, and the club will employ private security guards to deal with unlawful activity and loiterers.

Coupons the size of business cards may be distributed outside the club to attract customers, but they can't be handed out on Safeco Field property or the Mariners' private property in the area.

The coupons can't contain sexually explicit images and won't be allowed to be distributed on the days of games and other activities involving young people.

The Mariners were joined in their legal battle by the Washington State Major League Baseball Stadium Public Facilities District, a public entity that owns Safeco Field and leases it to the Mariners. The district's board agreed to the settlement Monday.

During their battle with the city, the Mariners questioned the propriety of allowing nude dancing near the stadium, particularly where millions of children have attended baseball games and other events since the ballpark's opening in 1999.

Club attorney Peter Buck said Monday the club will open in about a year.

Mariners spokeswoman Rebecca Hale said the team appreciated the willingness of the club's operators to limit their signs and advertising.

"We feel good about it," she said of the settlement.

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this story.

Steve Miletich: 206-464-3302 or smiletich@seattletimes.com