A Twin Cities strip club was listed on the Minnesota Super Bowl Committee’s vendor guide until it was removed on Tuesday.
King of Diamond’s Gentlemen’s Club, a woman-owned business in Inver Grove Heights, was listed as a food and catering vendor in the host committee’s Business Connect Resource Guide, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
The service guide includes more than 400 businesses that are minority-, woman-, veteran- or LGBT-owned and was given to the NFL and other companies in preparation for Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The Business Journal said it was sent out this summer.
King of Diamond’s owner, Deb Kalsbeck, said she passed the first phase of application process, a general questionnaire, but never followed through on the rest of the process. Kalsbeck told the Business Journal that she didn’t hide what her business operation was.
“I started the process not sure what they were looking for,” Kalsbeck said. “Once I went to that length (passing the first application phase), it seemed like they were looking more for product services like balloons and catering.”
After the first phase, businesses needed to receive a specific certification regarding their ownership. Kalsbeck decided Woman Business Enterprise certification wasn’t worth the amount of information required. She didn’t know her business was included until the committee told her it was removed.
“I don’t know if they were looking for a venue to host private parties, so I never completed the application process,” she said.
The committee pulled the resource guide off its website Tuesday and said the strip club’s inclusion was an accident after the Business Journal inquired about it being on the list. The remaining businesses on the list are currently being audited, the committee said in a statement.
Kalsbeck said she didn’t have hurt feelings from being removed as she understands she didn’t fulfill all the requirements.
“I’m just happy to be included for as long as I was,” Kalsbeck added. “I understand our culture is very (politically correct) and my industry isn’t necessarily politically correct with a lot of people, but it is a legal business.”