One of the co-owners of the embattled Eden nightclub is fighting back, vowing his establishment will remain open, despite allegations against the safety of operations there and a city imposed suspension.
“I understand people’s perspective and I get some of the outrage, but I just want to be treated fairly,” Wolfgang Welch wrote to us on Instagram. “I mean in the memo that went to the news article they listed sex trafficking and drug trafficking. I asked about this in our [initial] hearing and their response was they weren’t accusing us of this but we have a number of “pimps”, prostitutes and drug dealers in our establishment. When I asked who they were they declined to answer and refused to give me their names to prevent entry, I mean what am I supposed to?”
Welch was referring to a 30-day suspension started in late September after a report was issued by Reno PD concerning the Thursday to Sunday early morning nightclub on West 2nd street, as Our Town Reno previously reported.
A new hearing is scheduled for Wednesday via Zoom.
“We were given a list of conditions to complete and this hearing is to determine if we have been making attempts to complete said conditions,” Welch wrote. “On one hand we aren’t denying that things have happened nor are we trying to absolve ourselves of blame. We do have a responsibility,” he added.
Welch says there’s a petition created by a staff member which has gathered about 200 signatures from people who want to see the Eden remain open.
Concerning repeated testimony of a drunk employee crashing into cars in the club’s parking lot while trying to leave, Welch wrote: “The individual was suspended, put on a no drinking restriction, she was no longer allowed to hang out after her shifts, she also made formal apologies to the people’s vehicles, but there was no damage to any vehicles so payment wasn’t required.”
Welch said she had been told not to leave until she sobered up, but despite this he says she sneaked out the back door. After the crash, her keys were taken from her and she was given an Uber ride home.
Welch also commented on former employees alleging there was heavy drug use by staff which involved bringing customers with them into downstairs areas: “Nightlife, especially in Reno, has an element of drugs from marijuana to Molly to cocaine and everything in between,” he wrote. “Now our stance is that we do not condone nor to do we support drug use. We’ve all had a number of friends pass away from overdoses and irresponsibility. However I would be naive to think that people don’t go into our bathrooms and take drugs. We have multiple cameras in our downstairs and have fired people for drug use but it is not a common occurrence for staff to do drugs downstairs.”
There was one arrest Welch says while police did a walk through inside the club and an individual was found with two lines of cocaine on their phone in a club bathroom.
“We encourage people to not do it, however we’d be naive in saying it never happens,” Welch said. “I have heard similar allegations of staff taking people downstairs and drugs being distributed, however I’ve been unable to verify drug use. In most cases staff have taken friends and family downstairs to give them a break from what is happening upstairs. We maintain we do not condone or support drug use from happening.”
Like other businesses in higher crime areas, Welch says owners shouldn’t be blamed for where their entity is located.
“Now there is a serious problem downtown, however that problem has existed long before our business. PD has taken resources to investigate a number of situations, however every single issue that was been reported, has happened outside of our building,” he wrote.
Welch said looking through records himself he saw no increase or decrease in crime from before when the Fusion Bar and Hookah Lounge was at the same location, and that since Eden has been suspended, nearby businesses reported a fight and potential shooting.
Welch also indicated the only sexual assault reported to club owners was an incident with a couple who got into an argument in their parking lot.
“From our understanding and knowledge there is no other sexual assault that has happened as a result of attending our club,” he wrote. “Because they were in a relationship the arrested party was charged with domestic violence. Most violent crimes that have happened happen adjacent to our property, and while we’ve tried and have been successful to break up fights that happen downtown it is not our job to police the streets. Our patrons for the majority of the time have been completely safe. Our staff included.”
Welch lists himself on LinkedIn as a “nightlife expert,” with years working in the service industry from restaurants to nightclubs.
The 2010 City College of San Francisco Associate’s degree graduate has been co-owner of the Eden Management Group since November 2022, with previous jobs as Assistant General Manager at Peppermint Hippo Reno and service manager at Platinum Dolls.