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Senate Bill 549 would stop cardooms offering blackjack
Golden West Casino, a cardroom in Bakersfield, California, has indefinitely postponed its planned relocation from South Union Avenue, south of the city, to Merle Haggard Drive, north of the city, citing legal and competitive concerns.
Golden West Casino Owner Franklyn Elfend wanted to move the cardroom to a 31,000-square-foot new build close to Meadow Field Airport, but uncertainty caused by Senate Bill 549 has now caused the formal delay. The new venue would have offered 45 gaming tables, a contemporary casual restaurant, an exclusive VIP lounge, event spaces and entertainment facilities. The casino’s owners Kern County Associates, said they are still assessing the situation and will share an updated construction and opening schedule once all requirements are finalised
The bill has faced legal challenges from the cardroom industry who has secured two legal victories so far, but the bill still looms. Most recently, a San Francisco Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction allowing Californian card room operators to continue operating blackjack whilst legal challenges can be presented by the California Gaming Association. The California Gaming Association had slammed the new regulation put forward by California Attorney General Rob Bonta as an ‘unprecedented power grab’ saying it would damage not only the card rooms sector but also the cities which host them.
Golden West Casino executives are also facing competition from the Hard Rock Casino Tejon, which opened almost a year ago.
Golden West Casino spokesman Michael Bowers said: “We continue to address the remaining planning and approval requirements and will share an updated construction and opening schedule once finalised.”
