About 31 acres in northern Storey County's river corridor has been earmarked for a new brothel. If approved, it will be located on land that was once part of the McCarran Ranch.
An application for the Crazy Horse Resort and Spa is proceeding through Storey County's investigation process. Conducted by the Sheriff's Department, the effort is expected to take months, according to Sheriff Pat Whitten.
Applicant Susan Austin is listed as the only resident agent for Asset Cash Management LLC, filed with the Secretary of State's office on Nov. 20 of this year and at the county commissioner's meeting Monday, she said the brothel would maintain a low profile.
"It won't be visible from any major areas, so it won't be an intrusion," she said.
This will be the first test for Storey County's new brothel ordinance, created in the fall of 2000. In addition to requiring a detailed investigation, the 14-page ordinance addresses everything from the powers of the licensing board to health examinations.
The ordinance was rewritten in the wake of a Nevada Supreme Court ruling stating the county violated brothel owner David Burgess' right to free association when it yanked his brothel, liquor and boarding house licenses for the Old Bridge Ranch. Burgess had alleged motorcycle gang ties.
A successful brothel can be an economic windfall for the county, generating between $200,000 and $250,000 in room taxes annually, according to county Commissioner Bob Kershaw.