Players 'save Spa poker room'

2008-03-05 12:48:47

Poker fans in Palm Springs, California have managed to save their favourite card room at the Spa Resort and Casino, it has been reported.

After hearing that the room may be closing, hundreds of players lobbied casino owners the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to keep it open, according to the Desert Sun.

Al Lepow, one of the room's members, said: "The reaction on the part of players and poker room staff was tremendous.

"I've been playing cards here since the casino began in a tent. I would have hated to see this break up. We're like a big family here."

Mr Lepow and 220 other people signed a petition to stop the nine-table room from being turned into a high-stakes gambling venue.

The Spa is one of more than a hundred casinos in the state of California. Over 50 have traditional casino classifications, while double that amount are registered as card casinos.