Shannon Miller  Posted on Aug 26, 2020

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Ahern Hotel has filed a lawsuit against the state of Nevada, Governor Steve Sisolak and the City of Las Vegas for “arbitrary and capricious” directives limiting public gatherings. 

The Ahern Hotel and Convention Center filed the lawsuit in Clark County District Court on Monday. It calls into question Emergency Directive 21, which Sisolak issued to limit public gatherings to no more than 50 people and to set a 50% capacity limit for businesses reopening after a statewide shutdown of non-essential businesses. 

The hotel claims that the directive “effectively foreclosed” its ability to provide event hosting services. 

“This prohibition on gatherings has been imposed on Plaintiff notwithstanding the total lack of any evidence that sitting in a conference or meeting with a restaurant, hotel banquet room or convention facility for a particular event increases the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 anymore than sitting in a restaurant, bar or casino, so long as all other Phase II reopening requirements are met,” the complaint reads. 

The hotel is asking the court to declare Emergency Directive 21 as invalid and unenforceable for event-hosting businesses that are otherwise compliant with social distancing and face coverings, and to amend the directive to allow venues to host events if they meet standards and requirements under Phase II of Nevada’s Reopening Response Plan. 

Governor Sisolak and the City of Las Vegas declined to comment on the pending litigation. 

The lawsuit comes less than three weeks after a pageant at the hotel was stopped by City of Las Vegas Business License officials and Las Vegas police. The hotel was also fined $250 by the city for allegedly violating room capacity guidelines during a campaign event for President Donald Trump held at the hotel in August. 

The lawsuit can be viewed here: 

473773366-Ahern-Hotel-v-Sta… by FOX5 Vegas

The lawsuit was first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 

Original article can be viewed here

  Ahern Hotel, corona hoax, corona virus, covid19, public gatherings, Steve Sisolak