Commission vote could allow notorious strip club site to reopen
The site of a troubled Orlando strip club could reopen if Orange County commissioners approve a settlement agreement they’re set to discuss on Tuesday.
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Flash Dancers on Orange Blossom Trail was shut down last year after investigators discovered an underage performer working there.
The Orange County Tax Collector then revoked the property’s license, prompting a First Amendment lawsuit.
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The site still stands empty more than a year after investigators say they found a 15-year-old dancer and arrested four people.
The criminal cases connected to those arrests are ongoing.
A sign on the club’s back door threatens the seizure of the property for failure to pay taxes. Sources tell Eyewitness News the deal being considered by Orange County Commissioners would allow everyone to move forward.
If approved on Tuesday, the settlement agreement between the property owner and the Tax Collector would allow the owner to try to regain their license and open a club under new management.
In its long history, Flash Dancers managed to find itself connected to several major news stories.
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A beloved barbecue stand owner was shot and killed in the parking lot in 2022. Convicted cop killer Markeith Loyd also worked there.
The club also employed the notorious fake cousin of Tyre Sampson- a dancer by the name of “Candy Red”- who was fired after a performance at a vigil for the teen outside Icon Park.
“A lot of people just gave up on this,” said a man who identified himself as a contractor hired to care for the property. “I haven’t given up.”
The man says he’s spent the last year not only fixing up the property, but also the surrounding blocks in hopes of trying to improve Orange Blossom Trail’s reputation.
“There’s a lot of dedication going on here...every place needs love.”
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One Commissioner has said they’ve seen the property owner’s argument against them, claiming the county stripped them of their constitutional right to lease their property.
Attorneys for both sides declined to comment on the settlement or Tuesday’s planned discussion, though an attorney for the property owner said, “We’re hoping to get a vote in favor.”
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