The city councilor says the rumors are a misunderstanding.
By Scott Taylor
Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Councilor Marc Mason made one thing perfectly clear Tuesday night: He has no plans whatsoever to put a strip club on Lisbon Street.

“I just came from voting and I was literally attacked by at least one man,” Mason said. “People have been calling me and yelling all day, saying that I want to open one of those places.”

Mason blamed the rumor on a simple coincidence. He did agree to buy the building at 249 Lisbon St., housing the recently closed Marois Restaurant, from fellow Councilor Norm Rousseau last week. And he did ask the city staff how a person would go about opening an exotic dance club, on behalf of a constituent. That topic ended up on Tuesday night’s workshop agenda.

“I didn’t even want it on the agenda,” Mason said. “I had a man ask me, and I simply passed the question along. I just wanted to know what this man would have to do. I personally have no intention of opening a club like that anywhere. I just wanted an answer for a simple question.”

Mason said the two facts became linked somehow in peoples’ minds and the rumor mill did the rest. Both Mason and Rousseau said they’ve been answering angry questions all day from people worried that a strip club would replace Marois.

“I bought that building as an investment, and I don’t know what I’m going to do with it,” he said. “All I wanted was an answer to a simple question. I had no idea it would stir up so much negativity.”

City ordinances do not allow exotic dance clubs. Councilors would have to vote to change ordinances to allow that kind of activity.

staylor@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link