In My Humble Opinion, I Don't think that there IS harmonious co-existence between these three Sectors of many Cities' Infrastructure.
Witness, for example, what is occurring in the former Adult Entertainment Zone of Boston. What Adult Entertainment Zone, you say? That's exactly my point. Boston's Infamous "Combat Zone" is a phantom of itself. There are 2 gentlemen's clubs for heterosexual gentlemen, and nothing of the like for the gay male community (nor baths, arcades, etc. and other M4M Adult entertainments and venues).
As a Nightlife event producer in both Providence, RI and Boston, MA, I'm sure you are aware of the stricter Adult Entertainment guidelines that must be adhered to in Boston Clubs in order to have alcohol served: more conservative, less revealing attire for the Go Go Dancers, a general discouragement of any dancer / patron interaction, No nudity or "live shows", etc. I haven't been in any of the gentlemen's clubs in Providence to have a Boston / Providence comparison, but I'll guess that things are more restrictive in Boston, even for the majority consumer of adult nightlife options.
For the past 8 years plus, the current Boston Mayor's office has taken pages right out of Pre- "9/11" Mayor Rudy Giuliani's New York City 42'nd St/Times Square redevelopment play-book, virtually making it impossible for Adult Businesses to operate in the very district they are zoned for! In addition, Boston's Executive office has been using "eminent domain" to take over properties tenanted by Adult businesses in the Zone, handing the real estate to High -End Condo developers. This has been done in the name of "Getting Rid of Urban Blight and the 'Negative Secondary Effects' of Adult Businesses". The Mayor's office of Boston attempted to close two adult businesses by this ploy, but found that in order to adhere to their own rules, they would have to assist those businesses in finding comparable tenancy to the locations they were being pushed out of. Whoops, they didn't plan on that! The businesses did get moved with the city's 'help', but not after haggling with the city over the transferability and the validity of their various licenses necessary for doing legal business.
Latest on the Boston agenda? The move to eliminate 'bottle service' in clubs, supposedly to eliminate "binge drinking" and possible drunk driving. Funny that the Boston Mayor's office didn't show that concern for eliminating drunk driving a few years back by more aggressively pressing the State Transportation Authority to market a "Night Owl" public transportation program to the Nightlife community so they would use the pilot program. The marketing dollars were spent on designing a logo that a grade-schooler could have come up with for free, and no one marketed directly to the natural consumer of the late-night service: the night-clubber needing to get home, (not to mention the club's front-line employees). The (IMO) shoddy marketing strategy of the Boston "Night Owl" Pilot program effectively created the result desired by the Transportation Authority from the start, who have been well-known to be resistant to instituting 24/7/365 public transport in Boston. The "Night Owl" program was deemed not cost-effective due to "lack of ridership". Lack of ridership in Entertainment District Boston at 2 am? On a Weekend? I've been out there to see the weekly "Taxi Wars". Who's 'yanking who's chain here?
Boston's current administration's actions over the years has made it clear to me that regardless of the liberality or conservatism of the reason for the actions, that "BANNED IN BOSTON" is still alive and well as an unofficial motto for the city.
Boston has its own unique qiurks. However, I would expect that if you were to talk to any peers doing nightlife production or promotion work across the country, you'd find similar tales of ongoing increases in restrictions, closures, displacements, and other situations hostile to the establishment of nightlife and adult businesses and non-profit organizations of various interests. Right now, the the business world is taking it's lead from the the "Sterling" (tongue poking through cheek) example set by our Nation's executive: Money Rules; change the rules, cheat, or srcew 'em all to get more,..and learn how to say "I'm not Responsible!"
We live in a National Culture hostile to and suspicious of Nightlife, anything but the most staid, banal mindless entertainment, and any sense of Ecstactic Pleasure. "She's gonna take a Whole Lotta Work"to "Git 'Er Done", and change that around so that Nightlife, Retail/Condo, and Educational sectors "Play Nice" with each other.
That being said: Is it worthwhile cultural change work to take on? I believe so....
....But I'm just "Another Bozo On the Bus" called LIFE; what do I know?
Peace, Pleasure, and The Pursuit of Happiness!
D. J. Perez
