The city of Nederland council is hesitant to give the green light to the establishment of a poker club within the city block. Their hesitation is due to the chatters coming from the citizens against setting the establishment in their neighborhood. This debate has caused the motion of the poker club plans to halt, and the city council is evaluating the best solution to handle the standoff.
In a hearing that took place on Monday, a number of the city dwellers appeared on stand petitioning against putting up the poker club in the planned location. The dwellers argued that not everyone would find the facility useful and requested the council to consider a better option instead,
According to their argument, the reason for the standoff was not a morality issue, but the disruption of tranquility in the serene environment the residents have. They said that a poker club in the area would alienate the calm and quiet and increase of congestion and traffic to the small neighborhood.
The council chamber on Monday afternoon packed residents that were concerned about the whole issue and expressed their utmost concerns about the proposal. The people in charge of the project believed that the club would be a replica of the one in Beaumont.
It was running without any problems from the residents or the council officials. The business owners of the project also added that the same management that is running the show at Texas Poker Club in Beaumont would ensure things are running well here.
The proposed plan tabled at the city council suggested a poker club establishment at the busy shopping center on South 35th Street and Nederland Avenue.
One of the business owners, Mr. Daniel Mulvaney, spoke out, stating he has done his research and spoke to some of the residents. He said there are a lot of people in Nederland with a passion for playing poker.
“I think we are just trying to bring something fun here. We are not trying to cause any problems. I know there are a lot of people that play cards around here”. Mr. Daniel defended himself about the project.
Eight residents who live in the proposed neighborhood were not congruent with Mr. Daniel Mulvaney’s sentiments.
The council officials said that the three businesses in the shopping center had only 26 parking slots left. The residents fear that bringing the trade to an already congested location will turn their neighborhood into a parking lot.
Mr. Daniel Mulvaney said that wouldn’t be an issue at all.
“Right now, our parking lot has sixty spots and not a day that we have filled it. So it hadn’t been a problem in the City of Beaumont,” he said. He added that in case that becomes an issue, there always a way to fix it.
Apart from residents, other prominent people think that the poker club in the location is not a very good idea.
Officials are making sure that this is a genuine concern of the citizens and not a politically influenced agenda.
The mayor of the place, Don Albanese, said that people are scared of things that they don’t understand. When you mention poker clubs in a town such as this, they tend to be uncomfortable.
He says that they haven’t set anything on stone either about the project. Therefore there is no conclusive discussion about whether to hold or continue with the project.
Mr. Mulvaney said that he also comes from the same area, and he urged the community to take advantage of the economic burst the poker club will bring.
