Odyssey had been doing decent business until the Vancouver Arts and Leisure Society (VAL) opened and started "no-holes-barred" sex parties. VAL held the parties under Vancouver's new "arts events licence" program.

 

The city program was designed to allow artists to host pop-up performances in industrial and retail spaces. However, the program does not require that any art be present at the event.

 

Ahmadian argued that VAL was ignoring the program’s intended purpose. A sex party - of which 42 events have been held since 2014 - didn't seem to adhere to the spirit of the of the city initiative. 

 

SPANK was just such an event. It was promoted as a “scissor bang-of-a-party combining the best of both worlds for a no-holes-barred gay, straight, kinky mess of fun, pleasure and pain,” with “fetish-attire-only sex positive inner sanctum” spaces. Fun times, indeed.

 

Ahmadian said city officials were not interested in addressing his complaints. He hired private investigators to take notes and pictures of what was really going on at VAL events, and he submitted the findings to The Province newspaper, which released the story under the headline “Did Party Go Too Far?”

 

 

“My intent was to illustrate how liquor regulations are inconsistently enforced and therefore discriminatory against businesses that play by the rules,” he said. “I hoped that exposing the over-crowding in the warehouse could bring attention to BC’s archaic capacity laws, which need to be reviewed and overhauled … I apologize for any negative impact to my staff, our artists, and the LGBTQ+ community.”

 

VAL countered, speaking with Canadian queer website Daily Xtra.

 

“We try to create spaces for sexual and creative expression and we specifically say ‘no photography’ — yet they took photographs and video of our guests,” VAL executive director Matt Troy explained. “Why would he consent for the videos to [be] released? These photos or videos have no function other than to be salacious and attack community members.”

 

“The report may try to characterize our event in simplistic, sensational terms, while avoiding any mention of our queer ideals and politic. But our morality, and our sexual and artistic expression, is under scrutiny,” he added.

 

We definitely don't think sex-positive venues and events should be demonized. That said, British Columbia's laws regarding liquor licensing should allow for special event parties and established clubs to compete on a level playing field.

 

Odyssey owner releases report, says coverage not his fault [Daily Xtra]

 

Liquor branch looks into allegations of drug use, sex acts, overcrowding at Vancouver arts group’s city-licensed party [The Province]

 

The Scandal Over a Party Where People Partied Is The Most Vancouver Controversy Of All Time [Vice]