The owners of a private social club in Dallas, who spent $15m to acquire and renovate the property from its former guise as a well-known steakhouse, have gotten a lifeline after the city alleged that it was offering illegal gambling.
Isaac Trumbo explained that the investors pursued the project “in good faith” after hearing about the city’s plans to provide a pathway for social clubs to let their members play poker. The Champions Social Club offers a fine dining experience, with poker as one of its main amenities.
claiming that the poker offering was a form of illegal gambling
It initially tried to get a certificate of occupancy in 2021, which the city refused. The project finally earned approval on the second try in April, before officials revoked the approval only two weeks later, saying it accidentally approved the application and claiming that the poker offering was a form of illegal gambling.
Trumbo remarked that in that two-week period, they had started the club, hired people, and spent $600,000 on a modern security system and accompanying personnel. Champions appealed the decision to the Board of Adjustment, which voted on Tuesday 4-1 in favor of handing the approval back to the social club.
Talking about the future plans for the project, Trumbo said that the property, which was “very rundown in its vacancy” is now restored to what he hopes is “its former glory.”
