After years of investigation and invective, the bathhouse at 2200 University Ave. (known as the “2200 Club”) will be closed down officially on April 30, 2007. The club has, for years, according to numerous witnesses, been a safe haven for anonymous, often unprotected, sex and drug dealing, most commonly meth. The closure comes as part of a settlement with the City Attorney’s Office, which filed a civil complaint against the club for operating an adult sex business. The current owners got zapped with criminal charges last year.
Deputy City Attorney Diane Silva-Martinez told CityBeat that her office decided to file charges because of continuing illegal activity at the club.
Community activist James Hartline has been fighting to get the club closed for years. He says he contracted HIV there. He praised Aguirre for taking the case on.
“Everybody has passed the buck,” he told CityBeat. “They don’t want to deal with the political issues. People complain about rights, which is ridiculous in light of the fact that people are getting sick and dying.”
Hartline said he plans to continue his campain against San Diego’s three remaining bathouses. Silva-Martinez said she knows of no plans to pursue those at this time.
February 9, 2007 - 6:12 pm at 6:12 pm
Poor James Hartline! He reminds me of an ex-smoker who campaigns fanatically against cigarettes or a recovering alcoholic who tries to get all the bars shut down. Of course he bears no responsibility for his illness with AIDS. The bathouse made him participate in frequent risky sexual behavior. If only there had been no bathhouse he would have spent all his free time at the library or volunteering at homeless shelters, and he would be happy and healthy to this day. Riiiighttt.
February 21, 2007 - 2:31 pm at 2:31 pm
Flawed thinking Rob B.
By your logic we should also allow a place where children are prostituted. Pedophiles will find another place to practice it anyways, right?. Or will they go to the library or volunteer at a home shelter, Riiiiighttt.
Regardless of James Hartline the place should be closed, James is just a good witness to the damage the place is causing.