An alleged home-turned-swingers club in Arlington has the neighbors and the city in a twist. On January 28, the City of Arlington sent a cease-and-desist letter to homeowners James and Mary Self and “interested parties” David and Shannon Esopenko, who lease the house at 2429 N. Cooper St. for their Eutopia DFW parties.
According to the Eutopia website, it’s “a new and exciting venue that is completely different than anything you’ve experienced!” The Esopenkos have been throwing house parties since May.
The city asserts that the business violates zoning and goes on to list the 20-plus reasons why — including lack of residential occupancy (the Esopenkos don’t live there but plan to move in, David told USA Today); regular operating hours (8:30 pm-3 am on weekends); and “flat rate donations” of $80 for couples and single men and $20 for single women. Candy’s Dirt, which published the photos in the slideshow above, reports the expansive contemporary home, built in 1973, has four bedrooms, four full and one half bath, three living areas, two dining areas and a pool.
“We don’t consider ourselves a business,” Esopenko told the Dallas Morning News. “We don’t have employees, We don’t take people’s money. We take suggested donations, which people put in an envelope without their names on it and it goes in a box. If they think that constitutes a business we’re in trouble in this country.”
Arlington spokesperson Jay Warren told the DMN it isn’t a morality concern. “There isn’t any criminal activity,” he said. “It doesn’t comply with the zoning codes for that area. This is a business. It could be any business, frankly, but if it it’s a business, that does not meet the code. So we had to take action.”
“This is a sexually oriented swingers’ club in my neighborhood,” neighbor Jon Vecchio told USA Today. “We don’t want it here.”
Esopenko told the Arlington Voice he thinks a competitor, Lucky’s Clubhouse, is to blame for the hubbub. He plans to appeal to the zoning board.
The home has nearly 5,000 square feet.
