Pensacola Greyhound Track and Poker Room has property in Northwest Pensacola under contract with the intent of opening a cardroom, but to do business they need Escambia County to confirm that pari-mutuel gaming is allowed on the commercial property so the state will give them permission to move to a new location.
The issue came up at the county’s Thursday night board meeting when commissioners were asked to discuss a draft ordinance identifying state licensed pari-mutuel cardrooms among the permitted recreation and entertainment uses of commercial, heavy commercial, and light industrial zoning districts in Escambia County
Poarch Creek Indian Tribe’s PCI Gaming Authority, which owns and operates the gaming facility as Pensacola Greyhound Racing LLP, is seeking a land use certificate from Escambia County confirming that pari-mutuel gaming is allowed at 2490 Interstate Circle, where they’d like to move.
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The vacant commercial parcel is located near Interstate-10 and Pine Forest Road and there are mostly businesses nearby.
Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers says county zoning codes don’t specifically say where pari-mutuel gaming, like poker, can be located, and the new ordinance would clarify that.
“This would be sending an ordinance back to the planning board that could be created to specify which zoning categories they would be allowed in,” Rogers explained to the board. “There is a certain property that is currently under contract by the owners of the Greyhound Track where they know that they’re interested in moving to and so this would help the planning department in resolving this issue.”
Attorney Will Dunaway, who is representing Pensacola Greyhound Track and Poker Room, said the ordinance isn’t necessary because it’s the only business like it in the area and will remain that way.
Under Florida law, only one pari-mutuel wagering license is allowed every 100 miles within the state. The Pensacola Greyhound Track and Poker has one that is here in Escambia County.
“Simply direct your development services staff to sign the land verification, which says you want this pari-mutuel gaming at the new location,” Dunaway said to the board. “You don’t need an ordinance. It’s not a slippery slope. You’re not going to have a whole bunch of bars. You’re not going to have a whole bunch of cardrooms. It’s only one license. It’s 100-mile exclusion. You’re not going to have another one.”
Commissioners have not yet signed off on the land use certificate. After discussion, they did send the pari-mutuel card room ordinance back to the planning board for review with additional language describing distance restrictions to be recommended by the planning board, like laws that prevent other “vice”-type businesses from being too close to schools or churches.
What is pari-mutuel gaming?
Pari-mutuel gaming is a type of gambling where players bet against each other, rather than the house. Most types of poker games are considered pari-mutuel gaming.
Live dog racing ended at the Pensacola Greyhound Track in 2019 after Florida voters banned live dog racing in a state constitutional amendment the previous year.
The track sold its land on Dog Track Road in 2021 to Herons Landing Development LLC for $3.25 million, according to county property records. That same year they sought to buy property off Airport Boulevard in 2021 for a new location, but it didn’t work out.
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The property on Interstate Circle is in Escambia District 1, Commissioner Steve Stroberger’s district. He isn’t keen on the gaming business opening there because there are homes in the back of that and those neighbors may not want it there.
“I want the county commissioners to make a decision on it,” Stroberger said. “We’re going to see this come up again and I still have concerns about where they want to put it. I understand Will Dunaway’s position on it. It all makes sense to me, but I don’t think it’s going to make sense to the neighbors down there.”
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