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"Fat" Charlie Geerts, who owns 20 buildings in the district and 60 of the windows slated for closure, said he would appeal the decision. Prosecutors cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing in September 2005.
"You're hurting a bunch of people who have nothing to do with it (crime)," he told local television station AT5.
The narrow streets near Amsterdam's center have been known as a hangout for hookers since the city was the hub of a global trading empire during the Netherlands' 17th century Golden Age.
Even before the formal legalization, prostitution in the district was tolerated by authorities and had become a major tourist attraction.
Women in lingerie stand behind the windows, tapping their fingers against the glass to attract customers, who are no longer sailors on shore leave. The area is home to numerous popular bars, as well as brothels and sex clubs. By some estimates, nearly a third of tourists who visit Amsterdam visit the Red Light District — most just for a peep.