The wheels are turning, Jerry. The city of Dallas is trying to figure out what to do with Reunion Arena — and next month the economic development committee will make recommendations. One strong possibilty: turning the house that Jim Spanarkle built into a casino. Cool. Awesome. I’d say that turning it into just a poker room would also be fine — but I don’t think those who are horrified by the idea of a full-blown casino would see the difference, nor the possibility for the amazing big events that we could hold.

Thanks, Mulry, for the link!

Of course all this hinges on legalizing casino gambling in some capacity in Texas. At least two of the four gubernatorial candidates are fully behind the idea — Kinky Friedman, and Carole Keeton Strayhorn (who understands Texas’ financial issues plenty well). But that’s not enough … so this is as good a time as any to remind you to make your contributions to the Texas Poker PAC (of which, full disclosure, in case you forgot, I am on its board).

Click below to see the comments left on The Dallas Morning News website about the article … and you’ll get a better sense of the fight ahead.

More…

Lavigne in Austin writes in about the state of poker movements in Austin and elsewhere:

Re: How a thought becomes a law

Nice post. Thanks for the props. It is important that we keep giving the media clear messaging regarding poker and the fight to regulate it. They are all too willing to lump us in with the rest of the gambling talk.

I can tell you from my discussions with legislators and lobbyists pushing for various levels of gambling that we need to make sure that poker is kept separate. the only way we get decent poker in texas is through it being held in a separate class or, we allow full on casinos. I don’t think we are close to getting casinos, so for the time being we have to work on getting just poker rooms.

the fight will not just be as to whether or not we get poker, but who gets to run the rooms. Are bars allowed to have tables? who can hold charity tournaments? do we put tables in bingo halls? racetracks? or can we get separate rooms? if we get separate rooms, who will be eligeable to get licensed as operators, distributors of poker equipment etc…?

these are just a few of the questions that are being discussed right now. we need to have the full participation of the rooms or those who want to operate rooms.

Here in Austin a group called the Texas Card Player Association has formed. Several of these guys want to run rooms and are also interested in protecting the integrity of the game (avoiding a fiasco like FL).

I am on the TCPA board now as well. These guys are putting their $$ where their mouths are too. they make regular contributions to keep the organization going and are working hand in hand with the Poker PAC.

Dallas rooms should get on board now and help guide this movement. I know they have a lot historical and practical knowledge about running a good room that could be used to write good law.

Thanks for keeping the fight up in Dallas.

Lavigne

Thank you, Lavigne. And I, too, know a thing or two about the media … and these will be some of the decisions players face in the coming weeks/months … how big of a fight do they want to pick? While law and media perception go hand-in-hand, they are often two very different things.

And with proper discourse, so the wheels begin to turn … check out the Bud Kennedy column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the prospects for more-legal gambling in Texas.

As I started reading, I began to grumble a bit … it didn’t seem like poker was being separated from slot machines in the discussion. But thankfully (you’ll see about halfway down the story) Lavigne in Austin steps up to bring the possibility of small, non-Harrah’s poker rooms into the equation.

I know a lot of poker rooms around town fear that legalized poker would actually put them out of business … but that’s not necessarily true. Future gambling bills are just starting to be written. The Texas Poker PAC is already aware of these concerns, and is working with the bill-writers (and other political entities) to address them accordingly in any future legislation. Local poker rooms (particularly the good ones) really should be making some regular contributions. It’s in their own selfish interest. And beyond that, $500 a month would go a long way toward looking out for the long-term interests of their players.