EL PASO, Tx. - City Council unanimously adopted the six-foot rule for local strip clubs located within the city limits during Tuesday morning's session.

Adult-oriented businesses within the city limits so now must brace for major changes to their business model. 

The six-foot rule states that nude or semi-nude dancers must be six feet back from customers, thus eliminating the controversial lap dance.

Another aspect of the ordinance is aimed at adult video stores.  The adopted rule now requires designating an employee to be responsible for monitoring all theater activity.

Adult Video Warehouse (AVW) manager Lee Wilson tells ABC-7, "If people can't go someplace in private, they're going to go somewhere else ... If they're not here in a controlled environment, they're going to be on the street or a back alley, parking lot ... Who knows where?"

San Antonio-based attorney Jim Deegear represents Tequila Sunrise who tells ABC-7 the city can expect a legal battle should the 'six foot rule' become law.

Deegear says, "If they pass this tomorrow, they can expect to be sued...absolutely, I think we'll be back in Federal Court fairly quickly and the City of El Paso will learn about the joys of the First Amendment." 

AVW manager Wilson agrees, "The city is probably going to spend money in order to defend this case and at the end of the day, if they lose this case, they will be paying legal fees to my clients as well as any damages my clients incur."

Mayor John Cook, who calls this new ordinance a passion of his, essentially says 'bring it on.'

Cook tells ABC-7, "This is America, anybody can sue anybody...but suing and winning are two different things."

Story first posted to kvia.com @ 12:32pm on 5.8.07