Las Vegas firm, Upland man seek to build card, bingo parlor
BARSTOW • A Las Vegas marketing and development firm and an Upland politician seek the Barstow City Council’s approval to building a card and bingo parlor in the Lenwood Road area.
But, according to Barstow Mayor Joe Gomez, approving the facility isn’t a priority of the Council right now. And before any facility is approved, he would have to see how it would affect existing bingo operations at local churches and other organizations.
The proposed card and bingo parlor would have to be approved by the city in order to be established, according to Dean Coleman, a representative for 3-Stone Production and Development. According to the California Attorney General’s Web site, all controlled games such as poker must be approved by the Bureau of Gambling Control and must comply with local gaming ordinances in order to be at a licensed gambling facility within California.
If the facility receives approval and the necessary permits from the city, a card and bingo parlor could be up and running within three to six months, Coleman said. Games like Texas Hold’em poker and an interactive bingo program would be featured. 3-Stone Productions and Development will act as the parent company for the venture, Coleman said. Coleman and his partner, Ramon Siqueiros, based out of Upland, gave a presentation at the Nov. 16 City Council meeting.
Siqueiros and Coleman say their card and bingo parlor will offer the community more than 500 jobs ranging from dealers to security personnel to restaurant workers. A potential location has already been identified, although because an offer hasn’t been made yet, Siqueiros wouldn’t divulge where. They also say they will work with the local organizations that rely on bingo as a major funding source.
“We would like to engage the Catholic church (and) the Knights of Columbus,” Siqueiros said. “We would share the profits with them as well as donate to the church ... and contribute to senior citizens.”
Despite that offer, Jeff Eason Sr., president of the Barstow Senior Citizens Center, said at this point, he doesn’t see how a card and bingo parlor would benefit the senior center. At $500 a session, bingo is one of the senior center’s biggest revenue sources.
“If card (and bingo) clubs would come into town and donate what we annually make on bingo that would help us. We could devote time to other activities,” Eason said. “If they didn’t, it would just take us out.”
Gomez, who met with Siqueiros in October, said he’d have to do more research to find out how the proposed card and bingo parlor would benefit the community before he decides to support it or not. Card tables at a lot of casinos are currently slow, he said. Revenue at Indian casinos has also decreased. But, right now, he said, the priority of the City Council is the streets not a card and bingo parlor.
“I’d have to listen to the community and see whether or not that is something they would be interested in,” he said.
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(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com
