Denver's licensing cops are turning up the heat on Mecca Sports Bar in southwest Denver, calling for a formal hearing after a city report flagged allegations that employees were offering prostitution tied to off-site bottle service. The move throws the bar's liquor license and dance-cabaret permit into limbo while city and police investigators keep sifting through findings from last year. The case grew out of an anonymous complaint and a series of undercover operations that stretched across several months in 2024.
What the city report says
According to a report from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Denver Police received an anonymous complaint in October 2024 claiming that young women working at Mecca were offering off-site bottle service to customers. The complaint alleged the women would leave with customers, then be dropped back at the bar and paid by a manager at the end of the night. As reported by CBS Colorado, city staff have requested a hearing to determine whether Mecca violated Denver's municipal licensing rules. The report also notes that the bar previously operated under the name Club Dubai.
Undercover stings and alleged scheme
Denver Police ran three undercover prostitution stings at Mecca in August, September, and November 2024. During those operations, officers say they were offered sex in exchange for money and were told about a scheme in which employees would allegedly overcharge customers for bottles and keep the extra cash, according to the city report. "There are rules and regulations for a reason," city spokesperson Eric Escudero told CBS Colorado. It appears only one woman was arrested during those stings, while Denver Police continue to review the case and whether additional arrests followed.
How licensing enforcement works
Under Denver's rules, the city's licensing authority can issue show-cause orders, require a license holder to appear for what is known as an "order in," and hold hearings that can lead to suspension or outright revocation of liquor and cabaret licenses. The city's liquor-license policies also allow for summary or emergency suspensions when public health, safety, or welfare imperatively require action. Those procedures and possible penalties are laid out by the City of Denver's licensing office.
Legal implications
The upcoming licensing hearing will be all about administrative discipline for Mecca's permits. If the department finds that rules were broken, it can impose suspensions or attach conditions to the licenses. Any criminal exposure is handled on a separate track by police and prosecutors, and potential criminal referrals would follow standard investigative and charging processes.
A pattern of enforcement in Denver
This is not Denver's first rodeo when it comes to bar stings tied to alleged prostitution. In past cases, anonymous tips and undercover work have led to show-cause actions, temporary closures, and suspended licenses. In 2023, Westword reported on a sting at PT's Showclub that triggered a show-cause order and potential disciplinary sanctions. Those earlier episodes show how the administrative and criminal processes can move in parallel when allegations of prostitution surface.
What comes next
The department's request for a hearing kicks off a public administrative process where Mecca's owners will have a chance to respond while the city lays out its evidence. Hearing dates and notices are handled and posted according to city rules. The final ruling will decide whether Mecca's liquor and cabaret licenses are suspended, revoked, or left intact as officials continue weighing their licensing and enforcement options.
