Group looks at Matteo's closures

Chris and Craig Matteo's takeover of the Boulder Dam Hotel restaurant and lounge 16 months ago unquestionably has rescued the historic property's eating and drinking venues from economic doldrums, but some of their recent actions have the hotel association in a dither, desperately seeking straight answers to a set of tough questions.

The restaurant is required to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, 365 days a year, according to the Matteos' lease with the hotel.

However, in recent weeks the restaurant has been closed Tuesdays, which is a violation, according to the lease. The question, according to some association members, is whether closing all day Tuesday is one violation or three violations since three meals a day are required.

The first infraction occurred in March, when the restaurant was closed for a week, according to Darrell McGarvey, business manager for the Boulder City Art Guild, which has its gallery in the hotel. He questions whether that's seven violations or 21 violations.

"Everybody's happy with the food, but they're not happy with the closings," McGarvey said. "We don't want to boot them out because we need a good restaurant in the hotel. If we can work out this craziness, it'll be a lot better for everyone involved."

Association President Jim Amstutz called and held an unannounced executive session Oct. 13 to discuss the problem.

The major outcome of that closed-door meeting was city attorney Dave Olsen was asked to read and review the lease and report back to Amstutz and hotel manager Larry Kimball. Olsen was asked "by default" to conduct those tasks, since the association has no legal counsel and the city is one of four members of the association.

"I was asked to review the lease from a variety of perspectives and see what everybody's rights are," Olsen said the day after the meeting. "I'm to do an evaluation of the document to determine what they can do or can't do and whether there's any process to follow regarding alleged breaches of the lease. That's my assignment."

Olsen said five days later that we had reviewed the lease and had spoken with Amstutz and Kimball.

"I suggested that they sit down with the Matteos and try to work things out," Olsen said. "They need to work them out, or this situation is going to deteriorate. People really are more interested in resolving the problem instead of having a confrontation. All that may be needed is to get everyone to the table."

The Matteo brothers are aware of the association's concerns, however, there's been no indication that any substantive meetings or conversations have occurred as of Oct. 19 to discuss the problems, according to sources inside the hotel.

Amstutz did say, however, on that day that "they seem anxious to work with us."

McGarvey also related a couple of anecdotal instances that pointed out how business at the restaurant is being allowed to decline.

"We've been trying to get church groups up here for breakfast after their services," he said. "Just last Sunday, a group of 30 walked in and the waitress came to the door and said, 'We don't have room for you,' when, in fact, they did, and the group walked away. That's what kills business. They won't be back because the person who suggested it was embarrassed. They'll just never come back because they said so."

Running parallel with the closure problem is the concern some association members have over the type of entertainment being offered at Saturday's "Fright Night," being held in the Underground Lounge.

The original handbill for the night sounded tame enough with "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" costume contest and the Bargain DJ Collective. But the wording "Girls, Girls, Girls" and a burlesque act featuring the Sin City Grind Kittens had some members stirred up.

Also listed on the handbills were the Web sites www.sincitysounds.com and www.barelyevil.com.

The Web site's cover page announces content that may include nudity, tattooed and pierced girls and other "activities of erotic interest to Gothic girls."

While Craig previously has said, "We have to do things that will draw people because of our location, and we're geared toward everyone," it's still not a statement that puts McGarvey and others at ease.

"They're hurting business in the hotel," the guild member said about the controversial lounge acts and associated Web sites. "They're killing themselves with this kind of satanic, pornographic stuff."


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