Jan Otten, who led Amsterdam live sex theater Casa Rosso for decades, dead at age 82

Jan Otten, the owner of several sex clubs and erotic attractions in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, died at the age of 82 on Thursday. Casa Rosso, the live sex theater Otten was most known for, said on social media that they were “devastated and sad” to share the news. Otten’s death came as a surprise, and all his businesses will remain closed on Friday as a sign of respect, the club said.

“Jan was so loved,” Casa Rosso said. “In addition to being an iconic entrepreneur, he was a friend and father, and he will be greatly missed.”

Otten started working at Casa Rosso in the 1980s and eventually became owner of the club in 1997. “It’s my baby,” he once told AT5 about the sex club. He joked that he “didn’t have much brains” and was only good for tearing tickets and counting money.

But he later expanded his empire to include various other erotic attractions in the Red Light District, including Bananenbar, Hospitalbar, Sexy Loo, Erotisch Museum, Sex Palace Peepshow, and Theater 97. He was actively involved in these businesses until the end and was a common sight in the Red Light District.

“The Red Light District was close to his heart; he and his companies actively committed themselves to every initiative to improve the neighborhood and the image of the neighborhood,” Casa Rosso said. “We wish Jan’s family, friends, and other loved ones a lot of strength with this great loss.”