Commissioners Won’t Gamble On Poker Games

December 12, 2008

The Escambia County Commission was not willing to bet on cardroom gaming at a county greyhound track.

The commission voted 3-2 to deny a request to allow poker games at the Pensacola Greyhound Park. Commissioners Kevin White, Wilson Robertson and Marie Young voted against the card game gambling. Commissioners Grover Robinson and Gene Valentino voted for the cardroom gaming.

The greyhound park has laid off almost 100 people in recent months. Owners said the cardroom gaming would put about 150 people to work.

A parade of citizens spoke out for and and against the proposal. Some talked economics and putting people in the community to worked, while others spoke out with moral issues against the gambling.

“I consider myself a moral, spiritual and ethical person, but this has nothing to do with that,” Valentino said.  He said the cardroom gaming at the greyhound park was simply a matter of economics.

The Pensacola Greyhound Park no longer offers live dog races; they show simulcast races from South Florida.

Comments

2 Responses to “Commissioners Won’t Gamble On Poker Games”

  1. Chuck on December 14th, 2008 7:25 pm

    Thank you kevin for standing up for the moral folk in escambia. Besides, if you brought in poker tables here, whats next……brothels. As bad as people need jobs here we dont need jobs from that source.

  2. escambiacitizen on December 12th, 2008 10:48 pm

    Way to go Mr. White (Distict 5) as bad as we need jobs here and tax money, you let our money go to Atmore and Biloxi!!! You 3 that voted against this has a job some of us have lost ours.