Update On Amarillo Poker Club; Don’t Get Too Excited Just Yet
Recently I wrote about the encouraging news that Amarillo may well soon be the home to the latest poker club in west Texas. I know several people who were keeping every one of their fingers crossed, hoping for good news regarding a decision from the City.
Unfortunately, that good news is being delayed.
Why Doesn't Amarillo Have A Poker Club?
It's a good question. Go down the road to Lubbock, and you can find several of them. Look to bigger cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin, and you'll find them all over the place. They're everywhere.
Midland/Odessa has theirs. Wichita Falls is on the list. Corpus, Waco, Galveston, Beaumont....you get the point. It's not a novel idea that hasn't been tried before. A simple Google search will show you that. So why not have one in Amarillo?
Because Somehow Running A Legal Business Is...Illegal?
On the Change.org petition page in support of Amarillo Poker Club, they put it bluntly. The decision by the City was ultimately that their business is illegal.
What about all of those other poker clubs and card houses I mentioned earlier? It seems odd that all of those are legal, and yet running one in Amarillo isn't?
Something just doesn't add up.
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
I was told that Amarillo Poker Club is listed on Poker Atlas. If you aren't familiar with the app and website, it lists places to play in your area and gives you a rundown on what amenities are offered. You can even reserve your spot at a table.
It's a handy little app.
Looking at their listing on Poker Atlas, I'm even more bummed out now than I was before. They went all out to make sure players in the panhandle have a first class experience.
According to the information on the petition page they have several TVs for watching sports, a spot for simulated golf, and they have darts, chess, dominoes, and billiards available to play.
Not All Bad News Though.
The individuals behind the Amarillo Poker Club aren't letting this stop them. They will continue pursuing this until their dream is a reality. I told them I'm rooting for them, and I still am.
If you want more info, or somehow want to get involved, you can check out the Change.org petition here.