Las Vegas NowMan Disputes 'Ladies Free' Perks at Las Vegas Health Club

Man Disputes 'Ladies Free' Perks at Las Vegas Health Club

The free perks sometimes offered to women in Las Vegas are being questioned. One man is trying to get rid of specials that cater to ladies at bars, clubs, and the gym.

The man has put Las Vegas Athletic Club under some scrutiny. Eyewitness News went there and discovered what the complaining was all about.

One of the reasons is the "ladies join free" sign at the club. The man says it's obvious sex discrimination and he wants to make sure it's stopped, despite most being against him.

It may just be a small room with workout equipment, but for the women who work out in the ladies only gym, it's an escape from the men working out just outside the door.

Amanda Toomey said, "Out there it's a little more like a meat market. In here, you get more privacy, get stuff done."

But the ladies only gym is being questioned by Todd Phillips, who says the room is breaking the law. He's filed a complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission to get rid of it.

"If you have a ladies only gym, it is just as wrong as having a white's only country club," Phillips said.

Chad Smith is the executive vice president of Las Vegas Athletic Club. He rebutted, "Men and women are different. When men are in the club, very rarely do you have women gawking at guys. Women, though, sometimes feel uncomfortable with that."

Smith is fighting back saying their club is merely catering to women's needs. But Phillips' complaints stretch even deeper. He's upset women are the only ones who get to take advantage of the club's "ladies join free" special.

"I'm not trying to change Nevada law. Nevada already has a law that prohibits sex discrimination. So when a business maintains a policy of ladies join free, that's sex discrimination," Phillips stated.

But Chad Smith countered, "It's not discrimination. We just do our best to treat women special."

And most, even men Eyewitness News spoke with, don't seem to mind.

Donna Solomon, a trainer at the club, said, "I have no empathy for those men who feel they're rights are abridged. You want to trade places with women in the world, be my guest."

But Todd Phillips says this is just the tip of the iceberg. This type of sex discrimination can be found at nightclubs and bars, not just at the gym. Phillips hopes this step to sue LVAC will solve what he calls a sex discrimination problem throughout Las Vegas.

Chad Smith isn't so sure. "For someone to come and say you can't treat women special. We'll let the people of Nevada decide. If you don't want us to treat women special, we'll abide, but we're not going to let some loudmouth tell us we're not able to have these areas for."

E-mail your comments to Reporter Melissa Duran.