By Xander Thomas
A new poker club and lounge, opening soon in the heart of South Shore Harbour, will be catering directly to local lifestyle. A major question surrounding this – is it legal?
“We operate within accordance of Texas law,” said Keith Taylor, managing partner of The Room.
Keith says that Texas is “one of the biggest exporter of gamblers in the U.S.,” so it just makes sense to have a place in town where people can go play their card games, instead of constantly traveling across state borders.
He also explained that there are three major rules to being able to open a business like this in Texas: it must be a private place, no one can receive a profit outside of personal winnings – in other words, the house cannot take a rake from the game, and the odds of winning and losing must be equal between all players – other than luck and skill, of course.
“There is no way to lose to the house,” Keith said.
While poker is a large part of what they do, the guys at The Room would like people to know that it is more than just a place for card players. “You could be playing Tiddlywinks, Monopoly, whatever,” he said.
The Room is a private club that has more than just tables to offer its members. They have TVs, a conference room and even have a cigar lounge, which can double as a banquet hall for private tastings member events. They were conscious in the design of the area to make sure that the entire place does not fill with smoke.
“We engineered the air conditioning with negative pressure in there and positive pressure out here so that air is pushed into that room when you open that door.” Keith said, adding that they will have viewing events for game days, and members can always just come in and hang out, even if they don’t play games or use the tables at all.
They will even have a night devoted to bringing women in; every Tuesday night is ladies’ night. They offer free sangria, wine and beer, and have separate tables for regular players and beginners. “Don’t be scared to come try it,” Keith said.
They are encouraging beginners and advanced players alike to check it out and just have a good time, maybe even use it as a date night idea. They offer lessons on Friday nights, as well, so that people of all skill levels can join in the games.
The grand opening of The Room is on Saturday, Nov. 10, and they say that there will be free beer, cigars, smoked meats, an event for charity, even a prize drawing. There will be separate tables for beginners, so that new players don’t have to feel intimidated. You can follow them on Facebook or sign up on their website at www.theroomleaguecity.com for more info.
