PARKERSBURG — The new potential owner of the property that the Lion’s Den and 77 Sunset Strip sits on in Mineral Wells appeared before the county commission seeking a variance to continue to operate the adult entertainment sites as a means to help finance a complete renovation of the site which would include a new modern truckstop facility.

The commission held a hearing on a request by Sunset Strip LLC for a variance of the Exotic Entertainment Ordinance for the 21-acre site at 734 Frontage Road.

The property was put up for bid a couple months ago and the company that submitted the winning bid of $1.78 million wants the variance to be able to continue to operate the businesses, according to Attorney Bob Monohan, who spoke on behalf of the company.

The site was originally grandfathered in when the county’s Exotic Entertainment Ordinance was originally passed in the early 2000s which included being certain distances from residential homes and other requirements that are now in violation if the sale goes through and the property comes under the possession of a new owner, he said.

Monohan said their belief is the grandfather clause should continue as the businesses will continue to operate where they are.

The site also includes a truckstop facility, an auction house, the adult businesses and more.

As part of the auction, it was presented that there was no zoning and they would be buying the property and being able to continue its video lottery licenses and exotic license once they applied for it themselves, Monohan said.

During the closing process, as they have yet to close on the sale, they applied for all the necessary licenses for them to be in their name and were informed that they were going to be denied because of the new ordinances and they may not be grandfathered in.

“This is news to us,” Monohan said. “We were told we would be in violation of three ordinances (its closeness to a residential home, a family restaurant and another exotic business).

“The intent of the ordinance is to limit any adult entertainment exotic businesses.”

The businesses have been operating before the ordinance was enacted and should be grandfathered in as they will continue as they have been, Monohan said.

“Since they were there first, they were allowed to continue operating there,” he said, adding they submitted a memorandum that details why that should continue for them.

County officials said they got the memorandum Wednesday with some of the commissioners not seeing it until Thursday morning before the commission meeting.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo felt the company was trying to get a “rubber stamp” approval to move it through quickly before the county’s attorney could review it.

Monohan said they were not. He understood the process would take time and that they acted as quickly as possible when they found out about the different issues.

Colombo talked about his time on the state parole board and having to deal with people who had committed violence around that property and he wanted information about plans for the site in a more timely manner if he is going to vote on something.

Commission President Blair Couch said the purpose of the hearing was to hear testimony and the commission would table the issue to consider the matter and get additional information to take action at a later date.

“You need to make your persuasive argument on why we want to keep adult entertainment at that location,” he said. “You do that, we will table this matter and have our attorney go through everything.

“Our concern is why do we need to keep this? Your future plans also need to be discussed.”

Milo Ritton, the new potential owner of the property, was born and raised in Parkersburg and currently owns the local Par Mar Stores. He owns different retail operations in four states at 173 locations.

His primary interest is in the gasoline business.

“We bought this property to build and operate a gasoline/truckstop facility,” he said.

His intention is to tear down the old truckstop facility and build a new 7,500 square foot fast-food restaurant, convenience store, truckstop facility. They are planning for showers for truck drivers and more. There are longer term plans to eventually develop a U-Haul facility.

“That is why we purchased 21 acres there,” Ritton said.

There is not much truck-stop parking between Cambridge, Ohio, and Ripley, W.Va., and even those facilities are not very large. Ritton doesn’t own any other exotic clubs or facilities anywhere else. He was more interested in the overall site.

Part of their offer was based, in part, on the revenue those businesses brought in, around $400,000 annually.

They can’t close on the agreed price without those businesses continuing. Due to their experience, Ritton believed they could run the businesses better than what has been done.

He is planning to spend over $7 million to redevelop the whole property. Those businesses need to continue so money can be used to help the project.

“We are asking for is for it to be grandfathered in so we can redevelop the entire parcel,” Ritton said. “We know the need in this area and we know to clean that up.

“I would like the opportunity to try.”

He understands the site does not have the best reputation locally. He wants to put up lighting around it, better security systems need to be put in place and more.

“The place needs to be redeveloped or someone is going to get hurt,” Ritton said. “The site is not safe.”

He said he has the means to develop the site.

Colombo said if the site can be cleaned up it will go a long way in improving people’s impressions of Parkersburg who are traveling along I-77.

Couch asked if Ritton thinks they want more or less adult oriented businesses. Ritton said he believes they want less.

Couch added these type of businesses don’t bring in a great clientele. He plans to talk with local law enforcement and court officials to see what kind of calls they have gotten out there.

“Things have happened out there that are a detriment to Wood County,” he said, adding that could be bad for whatever he wants to do out there.

Ritton said the adult businesses are toward the back of the property and he wants to take steps to reduce their visibility.

Sunset Strip LLC would operate the adult entertainment businesses while Par Mar Oil Co. would operate the new facility planned to be built..

Mike and Tim Matheny own a lot of the property around the site and were present to talk about their support for efforts to redevelop the property.

The commission will review the matter and take action at a later date.

Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com