Cambria Co., PA (WJAC) — An exotic dance club opening in Cambria County is raising concerns from local church officials and community members.
On Friday, 6 News spoke with the club’s owner, and community members, about the new business.
Bodies in Motion Lounge is now open to the public on Main Street in Portage.
An ordinance in Portage aims to prevent graphic images in the area, but the club’s founder says if anything is illegal, it's the ordinance.
Bodies in Motion founder Gary Vaughn says he's owned a building on Main Street in Portage for 18 years and now is deciding to use it as a "home base" for his exotic dance business, much to the dismay of some community members.
“To the people of the town or the surrounding area, if you're not a fan of my business or you don't like what goes on, or you don't like the type of business that I run you certainly don't have to come in. I would just ask that they respect my right to run a business, which is otherwise legal, the way I want to,” Vaughn said.
6 News also spoke to the pastors of two local churches, which are within walking distance of the new club.
“It's nice that there's a business, but why not something that's more family oriented and something that can build up the community and its people,” said Thomas Stabile, the pastor of Holy Family Parish.
“We are a family-oriented community. This is right across from the library where the children are. Both of my churches are less than a block away. We just don't want it. It's not appropriate,” Art Black, the pastor of United and Trinity Methodist Churches added.
Vaughn says the surrounding businesses should not play a factor in how he operates his business.
“In fact, if you drive by my building, you won't even know what it is. I've clouded out all the windows so you can't see in. We don't play music really loud so you can't hear it.”
In early May, 6 News attended a borough council meeting where Vaughn and his attorneys assured those in attendance that he would not be opening an exotic dance club in his building.
“How far is this going to escalate? It's bringing a bad element to our town,” Pastor Black added.
Officials say there is an ordinance in Portage that is intended to keep graphic images out of the town.
“Initially I decided that I was going to cooperate and be respectful and abide by that ordinance. Through the course of time though, with a team of attorney's, I’ve learned that the ordinance is not only illegal it's unenforceable and it violates not only mine, but it violates the entire borough's first amendment rights,” Vaughn stated.
Community members also added that they worry that the exotic dance club’s opening sends the wrong message to children and could give them aspirations of joining the business.
ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfpbyzwMCgnGadqKTBqq%2BMnZinm5WnwG6vy66ZZqegmruqusZmo6ibkaHAbrvWp5yrZaKarqTAyKilZpuYqr%2BktIycpqeblae7tHnOn52im5mWubR5wpqkm6qZlnqxsc2nqrKkppa7qq2Mm6adoZWoeq6706Kmpw%3D%3D