Fresno, California, Club One Casino owner Kyle Kirkland will finally now be able to add 20 tables to his card club. After several months when the city council held him on tenterhooks so he could prove to his new neighbors that he was a “good actor” to the satisfaction of one councilmember.
The council voted December 2. to allow Kirkland to add the tables, bringing the total to 51, with member Tyler Maxwell commenting, “I think you’ll find today’s conversation to be a very smooth one.”
Maxwell thanked the casino owner for the obstacle course the city made him run in order to add the tables after having to relocate his casino from the center of the city to a new part of town in the east-central section.
It added 90 days to the process, which was time to get feedback from the community.
When asked if the delay was harmful, Kirkland noted that he wouldn’t have been able to add staff until renovations were complete anyway.
Kirkland has operated in the city for two decades, but the Covid-19 shutdowns made him reevaluate his operations and to decide to relocate.
Originally the city was poised to vote for his permit in July, but Maxwell insisted on holding a neighborhood meeting to poll the neighbors.
