Owners of adult businesses must pay taxes, balance the books and buy insurance like any other enterprise. It can be tough to find business partners: VCX.com lost its liability insurance in early 2007 when its policy provider discovered the nature of the company's line of work and refused to renew coverage, (VCX president David) Sutton said.

"The nice thing about the Sin City Chamber of Commerce is that you have access to the infrastructure that any business needs," he said. "You don't have to go through the rigmarole of trying to find a bank to lend you money and, at the end of the game, have them tell you, 'Oh, we didn't realize you were an adult company, and our charter doesn't allow us to do business with you.'"

The Sin City Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a golf tournament and "brothel barbecue" at the Chicken Ranch this weekend.

Some of the proceeds from gift-bag sales, balloon rides and the barbecue will go toward the Desire Alliance, a nonprofit that lobbies for the rights of workers in the sex industry, and The Center, a gay-rights group. The chamber has booked a block of rooms at the Pahrump Nugget hotel and casino.

It is encouraging to see business leaders pooling their resources in the face of adversity; it makes sense that performers can unionize, too.

Previously: Report: Internet profitable; Last words on AVN 2007; Gaped Crusaders; San Francisco sex workers seek to unionizeSee also: Sin City chamber means business (lvrj.com), Sin City Chamber of Commerce

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