'Fantasy Island' Forced To Close, Revitalization Of Del City Underway

Fantasy Island off Interstate 40 near Scott Street in Del City was forced to close recently, after the City Council ruled it was a public nuisance.

“There was a pervasive, very pervasive crime ridden clientele that were using that place and the body count just got too high,” City Manager Mark Edwards said.

Citing criminal activity, and dangerous building conditions, city officials say they were forced to act and put an end to adult entertainment at Fantasy Island.

In a September meeting, city officials agreed it posed a grave and immediate danger to the public. And evidence from an undercover investigation also took away the strip club's beer license.

“We as a city could not allow it to continue to function in its capacity,” Edwards added.

7/6/2015 Related Story: Arrest Warrants Issued For Two Suspects In Del City Deadly Shooting

It's a piece of property city officials believe is putting a damper on a prime place for new potential businesses.

“The Oklahoma River, the Native American Museum, access into Bricktown from the east, it’s right at the crossroads of American, which is I-35 and I-40. It’s an excellent location for redevelopment of retail marketing centers,” Edwards insisted.

The City of Del City owns 17.5 acres about 400 feet west of Fantasy Island and Edwards said they've been putting out feelers with national and regional retailers about that area.

“The Wal-Marts, the Family Dollars, they’re small, but people like them. Dollar Trees, obviously the Dairy Queens,” he listed.

And as negotiations for that land are underway, the city also plans to use earmarked money from the half-cent sales tax to clean up and preserve the unique neighborhood nearby.

City officials said they plan to eventually rename Scott Street so they can start fresh and remove the negative association attached to the area from a criminal past.

Edwards said Fantasy Island's owners are trying to get their beer license back as well as reopen for adult entertainment. But he's not aware of a court date for those appeals.