LIVERMORE — The proprietor of a cardroom situated alongside Interstate 580 in Livermore can develop and lift the playing institution’s betting restrict, a transfer metropolis leaders say will deliver in additional tax income.
The Livermore Metropolis Council’s unanimous approval permits the Parkwest 580 On line casino so as to add six card tables to its 10 current ones and enhance the betting restrict from $200 to $1,000. Officers count on to quadruple the town’s take, from $1,890 to $4,800 per desk a month — or an additional $695,000 a 12 months.
The cardroom’s desk charges will assist fund a brand new metropolis police officer and a place in the neighborhood growth division, officers have stated. Parkwest 580 On line casino will moreover spend $60,000 to put in three new visitors cameras and new license plate readers within the space.
The vote additionally authorized rising the town’s whole playing tables to 32, up from 19. Town’s solely different venue is Livermore On line casino, which at the moment has 10 tables.
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Whereas the town council was largely heat to the Parkwest 580 enlargement undertaking, councilmembers acknowledged visitors issues that residents have complained about for years. The adjustments embody a brand new 230-space paved parking zone, which officers say is predicted to assist ease visitors congestion close to Doolan Highway and North Canyons Parkway.
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“Parking has been an issue for the casino for forever, and it really does cause an issue for safety,” Vice Mayor Evan Branning stated throughout the Feb. 24 council dialogue of the undertaking. He introduced up one other fear. “I have seen the damage that gambling addiction can cause, and so I’m concerned about the increase in limits.”
Mayor John Marchand stated that the purchasers — not Parkwest’s homeowners — requested to have the ability to gamble extra per wager. Marchand additionally stated he appreciates the undertaking’s new parking zone.
“I certainly appreciate getting the cars off the road. I certainly appreciate your willingness to be a community partner,” Marchand stated on the February assembly.
Parkwest’s proprietor, John Park, informed the council the boundaries had been raised on the request of “very specific high-end clientele,” as a result of “other places don’t have the same betting limits that Livermore does.”
“That’s why they actually demanded it,” Park stated.
There are 60 to 70 energetic cardrooms all through the state, in line with Livermore officers. Different close by cities with such institutions embody San Jose, Colma, Stockton, Emeryville and Turlock.
Councilman Ben Barrientos additionally expressed concern about playing habit, saying as a neighborhood wrestling coach that he’s seen a few of his athletes’ fathers “gamble everything away.”
However officers assured the councilman that Parkwest has procedures in place to handle any prospects with playing points.
Steve Riley, the town’s planning supervisor, stated the cardroom participates in a state program permitting playing addicts to enter right into a database which exhibits their title and movie. Anybody within the database received’t be allowed to gamble, Riley stated. Parkwest additionally distributes playing addication literature all through the cardroom, he added.
“They are proactive in addressing the possible addictive behaviors some patrons may experience and have implemented educational opportunities in staff training and patron awareness materials and processes to alleviate the possible outcomes of addictive behavior,” stated Sherri Souza, CEO of the Livermore Chamber of Commerce. She stated Parkwest has been a member of the chamber in good standing since 2017 and appears ahead to the enlargement.
“Their intention is positive and is projected in their efforts to improve our environment for better outcomes,” Souza added.
First, the California Playing Management Fee should approve the extra tables after which Parkwest can apply for an amended license from the Livermore Police Division. It’s unclear when the parking zone will probably be completed.