“Gentleman’s Club”, the Regina 151

author: kaitlynn nordal |  staff writer 

Party, party, party / ktphotography

Going to clubs has never been so sexualized.

As of Spring 2018, Regina has a “gentleman’s club” called Regina 151.  
This club is privately owned by Darrin Oremba and is a member’s only club, which operates out of a private location.  
Over the last few years, there have been many controversies surrounding this club. Regina defines adult entertainment as “live entertainment including striptease and wet clothing contests, or similar adult performances as permitted in accordance with the Alcohol Control Regulations.” Oremba believes he is operating legally, because it is a private venue and he does not actually sell alcohol on site, as “beverages are complimentary as part of the membership fee,” he has been quoted as saying. However, this is still against Saskatchewan Liquor Gaming Association [SLGA] laws. SLGA spokesperson David Morris has said, “Even serving alcohol on a complimentary basis breaks the law.” Oremba only has a provincial business license. However, city “bylaws state he would need a discretionary use application and needs city council approval and in some zones they are completely prohibited.”   
Although this is a controversial and difficult decision for the city to make, I am personally all for it. If the city and province can agree on rules and regulations, it would operate just like any other business in the city. This could then end up boosting the economy as it would be another business for people to put money into. 
Regina does not have a big prostitution problem, but just like any other urban area, it does exist. If the city and Regina 151 worked out the kinks with rules and regulations, it would give the women working the streets a little bit of a safer area to work.  This is, of course, where things get tricky and a fine line between a strip club and a brothel would have to be drawn.  There would have to be rules and regulations for how the women working in the club and clients are allowed to interact. By this I mean touching, if there are private dances how they would work, etc. For the safety and protection of these employees, there would have to be rules about how private rooms work and what the etiquette for them are, if there are some put into Regina 151.  
I also personally think the club should be moved from members only to an 18–and–up business. If it were changed to this, there would be a bit more transparency about what is actually going on behind closed doors.  It also forces the owner to be held more accountable for how things are run. If the general public is allowed in as long as they are of legal age, it forces the owner to be more responsible for the safety and well-being of the women who work there as it is not then left to a select few clientele to decide how they want things to go behind closed doors. 
It may take a while to work the kinks out, but if they can be, and very strict regulations are put in place, having a gentleman’s club would not be a big deal.