But now, James Riggs is hoping to get lucky with 3090 Eden, a brand-new, members-only club for swingers -- or the "lifestyle," as they call it -- that will hold its grand opening this weekend with a giant Mardi Gras party.
Look below for photos, details and the swinging truth.
The recent history of swinging establishments hasn't always been pretty. Sugar House, on West Alameda Avenue, which was owned by infamous escort-service magnate Scotty Ewing, closed in March 2012 after a liquor-license violation.
And the Scarlet Ranch, which had occupied a nondescript building at 424 Broadway, was run out of town that same year following raids and investigations by both the Denver fire and police departments.Owner Kendall Seifert later sued the city, but he has since opened a sprawling new place, called Squirrel Creek Lodge, in the former Northwoods Inn in Littleton.
What's the back story of 3090 Eden?
"The place has been so many goofy things, but it works perfectly for the lifestyle crowd," says Riggs, who works in the construction industry.
Decades ago, the big building at 3090 Downing Street was a church, then for many years it was home to Tosh's Hacienda, which got overly ambitious with an expansion and wound up reneging on a city loan and closing altogether.
The spot was later purchased by the people behind Tracks and Exdo, and it's hosted an assortment of restaurants, including Kiva, Blackberries Bar, Swallows and, most recently, Eden, a vegetarian lesbian spot that closed in the summer of 2013.
"It's off the beaten path a little bit; it's somewhat secluded. And, for being Denver, we have great parking," Riggs says of the Five Point location.But while it may have great parking, there's no nookie...not yet.
Continue for more about Denver's new swingers' club, 3090 Eden. "There's no play going on, no nudity," Riggs says, though he does want to put the swing into his swingers' club sometime in the future with an "on-premise play area" on the top floor of the club, called the Garden. "We hope to, if we can get the licensing. But we won't even entertain it right now. People are stoked to have a spot in Denver again, and the swingers and lifestylers would love it, but we can't do it yet."3090 Eden does have a kitchen, however, along with a "loft-style atmosphere," three bars (customers had to take their own liquor to the Scarlet Ranch), a dance floor, an outdoor patio and lounge areas. "The goal of Eden is to provide a comfortable place to meet likeminded people in a classy, sexy, intimate environment," the website says.
That site also includes rules -- lots of, um, interesting rules, starting with the fact that you have to be a member to party there. Here are some of the others:
• No weapons • No drugs -- including marijuana • No prostitution • Absolutely no cell-phone usage in the play area • No photography, video, or audio recordings of any kind • Do Not Be Creepy • Treat Everyone with Dignity and Respect • Ask Before You Touch -- Ask Once and Only Once • No Means No • Do Not Open Closed Curtains • Do Not Interrupt Others • Do Not Stalk People • Nudity only in designated areas • Full clothing must be worn in all times in the main bar and dance floor • No sex of any kind past the doors of the play area • Clean Up Your Own Mess • Use Common Sense!!!!!
And then there's an expanded rules section that makes you wonder just how strictly the no-nudity, no-play rules will be enforced. For instance: "As a member of 3090 EDEN, you agree to respect other member's wishes for privacy and enjoyment. Therefore you shall not engage in any inappropriate touching or non-consensual touching...."NO PROSTITUTION: Prostitution is the giving or the receiving of the body for sexual activities for hire. Sexual activity involves the anus, the vaginal area and the penis/genitals. Therefore no one is permitted to ask, solicit or partake in the touching or any other type of contact with another person's penis/genitals, anus or vaginal area for compensation. Compensation does not require money to be exchanged but rather involves anything of value regardless of how trivial that value may be. Anyone who solicits prostitution, engages in prostitution or appears to be involved in prostitution will be removed from the premises immediately and their membership revoked.
"NO JOKING ABOUT PROSTITUTION: Since solicitation of prostitution is simply a verbal act of one person communicating to another that they wish sexual activity to occur for hire, even joking about sexual activity for hire can be misconstrued to be soliciting prostitution. Therefore, any joking or fooling around about prostitution or acts that may constitute prostitution will result in your immediate removal and your membership revoked."
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