San Jose: more tables and No Limit action in 2008?

[AngusThermopyle]

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They're trying to get unrestricted back line betting, the ability to stay open 24 hours,

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1999 ordinance (Ord. 25982.) that has never been enforced because of court cases by Bay101 and GC. The city council has to change the code:

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16.16.010 Limitation on hours of operation.
A. Cardrooms are prohibited from operating or allowing any gaming between the hours of 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM, notwithstanding any contrary provision in any land use permit applicable to a Cardroom that may allow for unrestricted hours of operation.
....
16.18.070 Limitations on bets.
C. No cardroom permittee, owner, or employee shall allow, permit, or suffer any person to make a backline bet or wager on any game played on the cardroom premises on or after August 31, 2001, except to the extent authorized by an extension pursuant to Chapter 16.20.


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I doubt that the city would just let the cardrooms win their court cases on these two points. It would set a bad precedent.


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9 new tables, and NLHE.

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9 tables is the magic number. An increase of 25% (10 tables) or more would require an election, under state law.

But...

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16.04.010 Policy.
There shall be no expansion of cardroom gambling in the city without first obtaining the majority approval of the voters of the city.
(Ord. 25982.)

16.04.020 Cardroom and card table limitation.
A. The maximum number of card tables permitted in the city shall be eighty-one tables, unless and until otherwise authorized by a vote of the people.
B. The maximum number of cardrooms permitted in the city shall be three, unless and until otherwise authorized by a vote of the people.
C. The maximum number of card tables at any one cardroom shall be forty, unless and until otherwise authorized by a vote of the people.
(Ord. 25982.)
16.04.030 Expansion of gambling.
A. The city council shall not take any action to expand the amount of cardroom gambling in the city unless and until otherwise authorized by a vote of the people.
B. For purposes of this section, expansion shall mean:
1. Any increase in the number of cardrooms or card tables as specified in Section 16.04.020 above;
2. Any increase in bet limits as specified in this Title;
3. The use of slot machines or devices, or gambling devices as defined by state gambling law;
4. Any form of gambling which was not allowed under this Code on or before June 30, 1996, or which is prohibited under state gambling law on or before June 30, 1996; or
5. Any increase in the total number of games beyond the twenty-one authorized pursuant to resolution number 63771, adopted June 9, 1992.
C. Nothing herein shall limit the authority of the administrator, to substitute games on a one-for-one basis.
(Ord. 25982.)



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it seems that the city code itself says they need the approval of the voters, not just the politicos. So any change will be awhile in coming.

[bravos1]

So I was there yesterday and talked to Rich (non-White Rich) about this and he confirmed both. The removal of the $200 cap seems to be proceeding well although no time table yet defined.

He mentioned that the 9 table addition is kinda getting beat down at the moment so no one really has any idea where it stands.

My guess regarding NL is they will most likely spread 2/5 and a 5/10NL games with most certainly a button blind (although it may be removed, but I doubt it. Of course during Shooting Star time period, you will see larger NL games with a 10/20 going frequently I would guess.

[spino1i]

Wow im really excited for this... I really hope they get a consistent 10/20 NL game going

[Torello]

Wow, I sure hope you guys aren't getting my hopes up for nothing. This could be HUGE.

[p4594spa]

I talked to Mike, the shift manager on Friday nights. The issues to changing are as follows:
1) WHile Bay 101 has plenty of room to add tables, Garden City doesn't have the room. So he thinks they will fail in their quest to add 9 tables;
2) Bay 101 doesn't really want to have no limit. They feel it will kill all their 8-16, 20-40, 40-80, and 100-200 tables, like it did at some of the other Bay Area Casino's that added no limit. (Lucky Chances is a prime example, I think).

Personally, I would love to see the additional tables because Fri-Sat-Sun, the waits are horrendous. I would also love to see the 8-16 tables moved to 10-20, so we wouldn't have to use all the damn $2 chips on the big bets...but that won't happen as Bay 101 thinks the players like having those huge stacks of chips. That is why they $5 chips on the 20-40 games rather than $10 chips...

[mikeca]

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1) WHile Bay 101 has plenty of room to add tables, Garden City doesn't have the room. So he thinks they will fail in their quest to add 9 tables;


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This does not make sense. Garden City ripped out the restaurant in front and has lots of room to add more tables there, if they can use that space. It has been just sitting there vacant for months. Many months ago I heard rumors that they were going to move the Asian games there, but apparently the city of San Jose blocked that. They ripped out some offices on the mezzanine around the main floor and moved some of the Asian games there. They then moved the tables on the side mezzanine onto the main floor. They now have a huge waiting area on the side mezzanine.

There might be some question as to whether Garden City wants nine more tables or wants Bay 101 to have nine more tables. Garden City may be afraid that shorter lists at Bay 101 will hurt their business.

[p4594spa]

Mike mentioned that all poker games had to be on one level of building. Though this didn't quite make sense to me, because at one time Garden City had poker on main floor and mezzanine.

At any rate, everything having to do with San Jose laws and their enforcement as it relates to actual practice seems very mysterious.
As best I can tell, the new mayor is not hostile to gambling like the previous one have been...