According to the Associated Press, former prostitutes who worked at the Mustang Ranch brothel, 15 miles east of Reno, are calling for it to be turned into a museum. According to Tia, one of the girls, there is not much to see, but the establishment has a rich history. "Over the course of its existence, it has been visited by a host of famous people: politicians, lawyers, athletes," she says.
The women's concern is caused by the fact that the state's Bureau of Land Management wants to demolish the building. Officials explain that the brothel is in disrepair and does not meet safety standards.
The prostitutes held a meeting to discuss what they could do to save the establishment. According to the former brothel owner Sharnelle Sylvie, if local authorities turn the Mustang Ranch into a museum, they could attract a large number of tourists.
Bureau representatives have already announced their intention to demolish the building by summer, but they are ready to hear alternative proposals. The problem is only money. "If the required amount is raised for repairing the building or moving it, we have no objection to the idea of creating a museum," said Bureau manager John Singlaub. The local municipality also supports the idea, but only if the population of the neighboring city of Reno approves it.
The 104-room Mustang Ranch became the first legal brothel in Nevada in 1971, immediately after the legalization of prostitution in the state. However, in 1999, after the manager of the establishment was convicted of fraud and racketeering, the tax police closed the establishment and fired the employees. There are currently 28 brothels operating in Nevada.