Sheri's Ranch is a legal brothel in Pahrump, Nevada. Unlike other brothels in the state, it styles itself as a resort, with upscale rooms and furnishings, sports bar, tennis courts, a spa and outdoor swimming pool.
 Sheri's Ranch in 2008 | |
  Sheri's Ranch Location in Nevada | |
| Location | Pahrump, Nevada |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°04′14.65″N 115°57′23.85″W / 36.0707361°N 115.9566250°W |
| Owner | Chuck Lee |
| Website | |
| www | |
In 2026, in what would be the first unionization of brothel workers in the US, sex workers at Sheri's Ranch attempted to unionize after being required to give up intellectual property rights. The brothel fired three of the workers involved.
History
editIn January 2001, the business was purchased by Chuck Lee, a retired Chicago homicide detective of 20 years, former owner of an AT&T retail store, and car dealership owner from Las Vegas, Nevada.[1]
Author Lora Shaner, a former madam of the brothel, wrote a 1998 book about her experiences, Madam: Chronicles of a Nevada Cathouse,[2] reissued and extended in 2001 as Madam: Inside a Nevada Brothel.
In 2004, the brothel raised $7,000 towards a senior citizens center so that they could still receive their "Meals on Wheels".[3]
In 2005, Sheri's Ranch sought local zoning changes in Pahrump to build a 700-plus home 330 acres (130 ha) residential subdivision known as Mountain Shadows Resort.[4]
In 2026, sex workers at Sheri's Ranch attempted to unionize with the Communications Workers of America after being presented with new contracts requiring that they give up all intellectual property rights to content created while employed there. Three workers involved in the union drive were fired by the brothel. If successful, it would be the first unionization of brothel workers in the US.[5][6][7] In response, Alice Little wrote an op-ed for the Nevada Independent entitled "As a sex worker, I'm better off as an entrepreneur — not an employee," expressing her desire to remain an independent contractor.[8]
Media mentions
editSheri's Ranch was featured in the BBC series Panorama about the importance of safe sex, preventative measures taken to avoid the contraction of HIV, and other STD/STIs by Nevada brothel sex workers.[9]
Sheri's Ranch was featured on the A&E show, Gene Simmons Family Jewels while Gene Simmons was performing research for an upcoming novel. He interviewed Scarlett and Tawny Brie there as part of his research.[10][11]
The brothel was featured in the Business Insider article "Inside a Nevada Brothel" by Dylan Love.[12]
The Guardian featured Sheri's Ranch in a 2015 piece about the current state of the Nevada brothel industry written by Daniel Hernandez.[13]
Sheri's Ranch was featured in the CMT documentary Morgan Spurlock Presents Freedom! The Movie.[14]
An episode of the Vital Vegas Podcast featured a room-by-room walk-through of Sheri's Ranch, including an interview with a madam and a sex worker.[15]
The popular podcast Let Me Tell You About featured the brothel in an hour long episode, in which one of the hosts details losing his virginity to one of the sex workers.
Sheri's Ranch was featured in the Showtime original series Ray Donovan in the episode "Las Vegas."
Sheri's Ranch was featured in the Vice Media documentary "The Vice Guide to Vegas Pt 1" where Taji embarks to visit all that Vegas has to offer.[16]
Awards
editSheri's Ranch won CWMC's Brothel of the Year award in 2011 and 2012.[17]
See also
edit
References
edit- ↑ Nieves, Evelyn (August 19, 2001). "Anxious Days in Bordello Country". The New York Times. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- ↑ "Stopping at a Red Light". Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2017 – via The Nation.
- ↑ Anders, George (October 20, 2004). "In a Nevada County, A Shuttered Brothel Divides Residents". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ↑ Gomez, Phillip (June 3, 2005). "Brothel or Subdivision?". Pahrump Valley Times. Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- ↑ Reynolds, Kate (February 11, 2026). "Sex workers at Pahrump brothel are unionizing, alleging unfair contracts and conditions". The Nevada Independent. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Sex workers in Nevada fighting to become first in U.S. to unionize". CBS News. February 13, 2026. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ↑ Weykamp, George; Levy, Annelise (March 3, 2026). "Sex Workers' Union Push Complicates Fights for IP Rights, Status". Bloomberg Law.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ LittleOpinion, Alice (February 20, 2026). "OPINION: As a sex worker, I'm better off as an entrepreneur — not an employee". The Nevada Independent. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ↑ "BBC NEWS - Programmes - Panorama - Condoms: The science". June 27, 2004.
- ↑ "Gene Simmons: Family Jewels: Gene Meets the Ladies of the Night: Scarlett". A&E. YouTube. December 31, 2010. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ AETV - Gene Simmons Family Jewels - Tawny Brie
- ↑ "I Walked Into A Nevada Brothel And My Expectations Were Shattered". businessinsider.com. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ Hernandez, Dan (June 2, 2015). "Survival of the freakiest: how some of Nevada's brothels are staying afloat". theguardian.com. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Morgan Spurlock Presents Freedom! The Movie". CMT. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Vital Vegas Podcast, Episode 11: Inside a Las Vegas Brothel". April 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Counting Cards and Working in a Brothel: The VICE Guide to Vegas Pt 1". July 18, 2022.
- ↑ "CWMC Award History". Cwmcawards.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.