By Rosalind S. Helderman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 27, 2006; T02

Averitable who's who of county politics attended a packed County Council hearing last week to decide what conditions to impose on Gaylord Entertainment in exchange for tax incentives designed to encourage the company to expand the massive hotel it is building at the National Harbor site.

There was County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D), of course. He negotiated a deal in February to get the Nashville-based hotel chain to enlarge its Prince George's behemoth from 1,500 to 2,000 rooms. Now, his deal was threatened by a council move to tie a $50 million bond package to requirements that at least 15 percent of Gaylord's contractors and vendors be minority businesses. He spoke first and encouraged the council to find some way other than the bonds to enforce the minority business requirements.

Then followed a parade of current and past county leaders. Nathaniel Exum (D) spoke and said his comments would have been echoed by Ulysses Currie (D), except that his fellow state senator had to leave.

"With all due respect to the county executive, we are talking about taxpayers' money in Prince George's County," Exum said. "If we allow minorities, African Americans, to participate in this project at a level that would create wealth, then we create wealth for all of us."

Major F. Riddick Jr ., a former county executive candidate, addressed the council. So did Jerry J. Mathis , who at one point turned his back to the council during his comments to face the crowd and remind everyone that he's a candidate for delegate in the 26th District.

Who would speak last was the subject of a bit of political jockeying. Just after Johnson spoke, Council Chairman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Laurel) recognized former county executive Wayne K. Curry (D) in the crowd and offered him the chance to speak next, ahead of several dozen others. From the back of the room, Curry demurred, noting that he preferred to hear what Bennett Westbrook , Gaylord's vice president, had to say first.

Come the end of the hearing, Dernoga turned back to Curry, who noted that Westbrook still had not spoken. Then, Dernoga turned to Westbrook.

"After Mr. Curry, I would like to speak," said Westbrook, piping up from the back of the room.

Dernoga seemed puzzled, then suggested if one or the other did not speak soon, he would decide that neither wished to speak and move on. "I'm not going to play with children," he chided from the dais.

Finally Westbrook headed sheepishly to the microphone to make his company's case. Curry sat back looking pleased and got the final word, encouraging the council to compromise if it could but find some way to hold Gaylord to its promises about minority business participation at the hotel.

Ultimately, Johnson, the council and Gaylord came to terms, agreeing that the company will pay cash fines if it doesn't make its minority business goals.

The expansion will go forward as planned.

Amid the excitement of the Gaylord hearing, it was almost possible to overlook another item of interest at last week's council meeting -- the last scheduled until September.

The council voted to adopt strict new regulations for strip clubs, requiring clubs and exotic dancers to pay for a county license and forbidding dancers to get within six feet of patrons. It also makes tipping illegal in clubs. Clubs will have to pay $650 a year for a county license; dancers and managers will each have to pay $200 annually for a personal license.

The rules are similar to those the county adopted in 2003 but then withdrew after clubs sued the county, alleging the rules violated operators' First Amendment rights.

The licensing requirements are believed to be the first of their kind in Maryland and across the Washington region. Council members said they think cracking down on the clubs will improve the county's image, curb crime and encourage other kinds of businesses to flourish along corridors now home to the late-night establishments.

"It wouldn't break my heart if it shut down most of the clubs in the county," council member Thomas R. Hendershot (D-New Carrollton) said in an interview. Hendershot had pushed for the regulations. "I would consider it a major victory to rid our county of those kinds of establishments."

County officials said they realize clubs might sue again. The council was addressed both by supporters and opponents of the new regulations. According to Judith Lynne Hanna , a senior research scholar in the department of dance at the University of Maryland and an expert witness who has testified about adult entertainment nationwide, the rules restrict freedom of expression and discriminate against exotic dancers.

"Requiring a license to engage in dance is a prior restraint on expression that is protected by the First Amendment, and it is also a tax on expression," she told the council, according to a copy of her remarks. "The bill's stigmatizing treatment of dancers (implying most are immoral, dirty, criminal, contagious or inferior) appears in some respects similar to white treatment of blacks during slavery and segregation."

Council members said they have done extensive documentation of the ill effects of adult clubs on the community, making them more confident the rules will stand up in court if challenged.

Club owners and dancers now have about two months to get the license. If they don't, they can face a misdemeanor charge and jail time.