City of Des Moines shuts down swingers club
DES MOINES, Wash. -- A once-pleasure palace is no more, at least for now.
If you call the Hardwood Cabins, you'll be told: sorry, we are closed.
The City of Des Moines has nixed Regan Lane-Smith's hopes of having a little place to have, well, fun with his friends.
"This is an adult playground," he said. "There are no kids here. We don't allow kids here."
"Adult playground" is grown-up speak for a swingers' club. And right now Lane-Smith finds himself in the spotlight, but for all the wrong reasons.
"I'd like to be known for my credits as a computer tech. For swinging, it's something I do in my spare time. It's a hobby, not a life-long dream," he said.
There is a pool at the cabins for swimming. But here the people, as the sign says, "chunky dunk" instead of skinny dip.
Regan says he makes it clear to guests sex is an indoor sport. And inside you will find 15 mattresses complete with restraints and swing sets with winches. There are also warning signs for wenches that read "do not disturb, I'm all tied up."
Enter now the city of Des Moines, which frowns upon the swingers club on a business level.
"Any citizen of the City of Des Moines is going to need a business license to conduct a home occupation business," said Susan Mahoney, attorney for Des Moines.
The city says Lane-Smith needs a business license to run a party house for swingers. And without the proper license, any such adult place faces a possible fine of more than $500 a day.
The city even sent Lane-Smith a citation and included police reports of noise complaints. But Lane-Smith says what goes on at the club is a hobby; he makes no money.
So he has applied for a state not-for-profit business license, and plans to go back to the city. That may or may not be enough to keep the club open, according to Mahoney.
"I would need them to come in and describe the parameters of what they would be doing," she said.
Reagan and the city will face off in court on Sept. 11. A judge will decide whether a swingers' club qualifies as a business, a hobby or just what it is.
In case you were wondering, most of the club members are single. The youngest is 21 years old, the oldest 80. Lane-Smith estimated there are 10,000 swingers in Washington state.
If you call the Hardwood Cabins, you'll be told: sorry, we are closed.
The City of Des Moines has nixed Regan Lane-Smith's hopes of having a little place to have, well, fun with his friends.
"This is an adult playground," he said. "There are no kids here. We don't allow kids here."
"Adult playground" is grown-up speak for a swingers' club. And right now Lane-Smith finds himself in the spotlight, but for all the wrong reasons.
"I'd like to be known for my credits as a computer tech. For swinging, it's something I do in my spare time. It's a hobby, not a life-long dream," he said.
There is a pool at the cabins for swimming. But here the people, as the sign says, "chunky dunk" instead of skinny dip.
Regan says he makes it clear to guests sex is an indoor sport. And inside you will find 15 mattresses complete with restraints and swing sets with winches. There are also warning signs for wenches that read "do not disturb, I'm all tied up."
Enter now the city of Des Moines, which frowns upon the swingers club on a business level.
"Any citizen of the City of Des Moines is going to need a business license to conduct a home occupation business," said Susan Mahoney, attorney for Des Moines.
The city says Lane-Smith needs a business license to run a party house for swingers. And without the proper license, any such adult place faces a possible fine of more than $500 a day.
The city even sent Lane-Smith a citation and included police reports of noise complaints. But Lane-Smith says what goes on at the club is a hobby; he makes no money.
So he has applied for a state not-for-profit business license, and plans to go back to the city. That may or may not be enough to keep the club open, according to Mahoney.
"I would need them to come in and describe the parameters of what they would be doing," she said.
Reagan and the city will face off in court on Sept. 11. A judge will decide whether a swingers' club qualifies as a business, a hobby or just what it is.
In case you were wondering, most of the club members are single. The youngest is 21 years old, the oldest 80. Lane-Smith estimated there are 10,000 swingers in Washington state.
Learn about changes coming to commenting