Infamous Atlanta Strip Club Now a Church

[olena]

ATLANTA - What was once a house of sin will soon become a house of worship.
A nondenominational church will lease the Gold Club building and hold its first services there early next year. The infamous Atlanta strip club was shut down by the federal government after a sensational racketeering trial in 2001.
Church members will start cleaning out the building this weekend.
"We're going to take something that was a mess and turn it into something good and usable," said the Rev. Dan Garrett of the Christian Church of Buckhead.
The club was closed after owner Steve Kaplan pleaded guilty in 2001 to racketeering charges in a case that featured strippers, mobsters and pro athletes.
The trial became a celebrity spectacle, with athletes such as basketball star Patrick Ewing and Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones testifying about their escapades.
A group of developers paid $5.25 million for the property this week. The church will lease the building until it is torn down to make way for a condominium tower in the spring.




LOL....from Gold Club to 700 Club!

 

[Cindy B]

This happened in Camden NJ as well (right outside Philly)

Prior to the political convention, there were TONS of strip clubs and liquor stores on the main drag to Philadelphia (Admiral Wilson Blvd.)

Then they razed most of them, and at least two of them are now churches.. one is an apostolic temple, and another is a pentecostal church.

And a Goodwill store I frequent, used to be an X rated bookstore/peepshow place YEARS ago... (I found that out after I was a regular!)

 

[Robinrs]

I heard about the condo...which I'm sure will make the developers VERY rich, but this was news to me, Heather! LOL!

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I wonder if the same people will frequent.

 

[larry's girl]

I hadn't heard about this. It is too funny!!

 

[eeyore74]

That happened back home, too. There was a XXX movie theater that is now a church. Mom's got some good names for it, but I can't remember any of them.