Lawsuit Alleges Debauchery at Balboa Bay Club

An Orange County businessman made several eyebrow-raising claims about a tolerance for misbehavior at the Balboa Bay Club to spell out a what he said was a double standard in his lawsuit claiming he was wrongly kicked out for fighting with staff while intoxicated.

Among Steve George’s most noteworthy claims involves an incident with former “Real Housewives of Orange County” stars Alexis Bellino and her husband Jim in which their then-2-year-old daughters nearly drowned at the club’s pool on the Fourth of July in 2010.

The lawsuit doesn’t name the Bellinos -- only referring to them as A.B. and J.B. It claims the two were at the club’s bar drinking shots when the girls’ stroller rolled into the club’s pool.

“The club’s lifeguard sprinted over to pull the stroller out of the pool with both girls strapped inside,” the lawsuit alleges. “J.B. heard the commotion while at the bar taking shots, and ran over to assist the lifeguard. After the children were safely out of the pool, J.B. screamed at the lifeguard as if she were to blame for A.B.’s and J.B.’s inattention. Rather than thank the lifeguard for saving the lives of his children, J.B. took out his anger on the lifeguard and criticized her for pulling the stroller out of the pool instead of jumping into the water to push the stroller.”

There were no recriminations by the club’s managers for the incident, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit claims one couple who are members are notorious for having sex in the bathrooms and elsewhere. And another member would grope and proposition employees, the lawsuit alleges.

Bartenders are encouraged to “top off” drinks and serve more alcohol than requested with staff instructed to have a high tolerance for drunken behavior, the lawsuit alleges. The claim even mentions that John Wayne, the club’s most famous member, was notorious for such unruliness.

George claims in his lawsuit that he was prescribed painkillers for a broken arm and was over-served alcohol while at the club June 21, leading to verbal altercations with staff.

Without warning, he was kicked out of the club, and he claims staff “slandered” him by alleging he had gotten into a physical fight and was “drunk,” when his condition was owed more to the painkillers than booze.

George’s lawsuit alleges the club violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and engaged in breach of contract, among other claims.

A message left with the club was not immediately returned.

--City News Service

PHOTO The Balboa Bay Club. Patch file photo.