Silk Exotic is about as determined to open a Downtown Milwaukee location as anybody in Milwaukee has ever been determined to do anything, and the business shows no signs of giving up anytime soon. After being denied a Downtown location three times, the strip club is currently eyeing a possible location across the street from the BMO Harris Bradley Center—to the vocal objection of the BMO Harris Bradley Center itself—but if that option falls through, it has a possible backup spot in mind: 618 N. Water St., Fox 6 News reports.
The current occupant of that location, the nightclub 618 Live, is on uncertain footing. The venue regained its liquor license after a long suspension earlier this month, only to lose it again yesterday. According to Fox 6, representatives from Silk and 618 Live met "met at city licensing hearings and decided to team up" and "have entered into a memorandum of understanding."
Of course, the Silk/618 Live partnership is far from a done deal. "There’s a lot of hurdles to go over and it’s probably a long time away, but it is an option,” 618 Live spokesman Craig Peterson told the station. And of course Silk would still need city approval before it could open there, and in the past that's proven hard to attain.
At least one city council member sounds in favor of the deal, though. Downtown Ald. Bob Bauman said he would not oppose the plan, OnMilwaukee reports—no doubt in part because it would eliminate a rap club he's never been fond of.
"It's up to the people around there," Bauman said. "Do they want violence and guns or exotic dancers?"
