KING OF DIAMONDS IS THE WALMART OF GENTLEMEN’S CLUBS, AN UNIMAGINABLE TAKE ON AL BUNDY’S “NO MAAM” AMUSEMENT PARK FOR MEN. THE 3-YEAR- OLD GO-TO SPOT FOR MIAMI-BASED ROYALTY SUCH AS LIL WAYNE, RICK ROSS AND DWYANE WADE CONTAINS A BARBERSHOP, SAUNA, FIVE SEPARATE BARS AND A BASKETBALL COURT. BUT YOU WON’T FIND THIS OASIS IN SPARKLING SOUTH BEACH. ACCORDING TO MANAGEMENT, THEIR ANTITOURIST MIAMI GARDENS LOCATION IS PART OF ITS APPEAL. “[THE BEACH] USED TO BE THE MECCA BEFORE WE PUT KING OF DIAMONDS IN THE INNER CITY,” SAYS A PROUD TERRY ELLIOT, CHIEF OPERATOR. “NOW, PEOPLE KNOW IF YOU COME TO MIAMI AND YOU DON’T COME TO THE KING OF DIAMONDS, YOU REALLY DIDN’T GET YOUR KEY TO THE CITY.” ELLIOT SHARES HOW HE PUT THE 305 ADULT SCENE ON LOCK.
CLIMBING THE POLE
I was producing hip-hop and R&B music before getting involved in adult entertainment. Then 11 years ago, I was asked to oversee a club named Honey’s. I went from overseeing one club to operating five.
ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW
The managers of King of Diamonds are one of the main reasons why entertainers come to us. I went out and got Rick Taylor (b.k.a. hip-hop artist Disco Rick), Charles Young and Lenny Moore. Celebrities would come because they knew us.
ROYAL FLUSH
The number one rule is to treat everybody like a king or queen. Most places put stars in a special place, but stars also want to be treated like everyone else; they want to be normal. There’s no one asking for your autograph at the King of Diamonds. Everyone is on the same pedestal, from athletes and musicians to everyday people.
BE A GENTLEMAN
We have a lot of street credibility, so guys know to keep everything down. Our security has the eyesight of professional bodyguards. They know what’s going to happen before it happens.
SECOND HOME
My job is like an adult day care center. I love dealing with people—the thing that I don’t like is that my family may not always be comfortable with me being there. It can cause problems in your personal life.
RISKY BUSINESS
Every day I come home it’s almost like a policeman making it back home to his family, because a lot of things can happen in the adult entertainment business. People sometimes come to a gentleman’s club intoxicated and they have to be restrained. Every time I go to work, I say my prayers and ask God to guide me.
GIVE BACK
A lot of negative things happen in the area of Liberty City. Every year we do a Christmas party for the community and inner-city kids. We give the kids a parade, feed families and do toy drives.
WISH UPON A STAR
I want to build a small theme park for kids. I like what Walt Disney did: He catered to both adults and kids. Hopefully I’ll be able to do that, too.
Check the new reality show King of Diamonds is producing titled Make It Rain
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