Poker has managed to find its way to many places throughout the world since it is commonly featured on five of the world’s continents. But one place that you don’t find a whole lot of poker being played at is horse races and greyhound tracks. However, that trend could change due to a new twist at a greyhound track in Pensacola, Florida.
Realizing the lack of jobs in the area and the fact that there are no new jobs for these people to go to, Escambia Country officials voted 3-2 in favor of allowing a huge poker room to be put at the Pensacola Greyhound Track. The vote is no doubt controversial since the poker room combined with greyhound betting will create somewhat of a gambling extravaganza in Pensacola. But it is a move that needed to be made in the eyes of three of the officials involved in the vote.
After all, Pensacola has been hit hard by the loss of jobs just like other parts of the United States and they needed a way to create new ones. In fact, the amount of jobs at the track had fallen down to just 35 and this ruling will ensure that at least 150 new jobs will be added at the Pensacola Greyhound Track due to the poker room alone.
If adding a poker room at this greyhound track proves to be a success, it could be possible that other places will follow in Escambia County’s footsteps. The idea of being able to not only play poker, but watch and bet on live races in the same place is very appealing. I would definitely like to see poker rooms added at some of the tracks in my area too!
Here in Jacksonville, FL we already have poker rooms above the greyhound tracks, one on each side of town. Its a pretty cool setup, they simulcast race results into monitors in the poker room so people can have their bets going while they play. Good to see Pensacola’s considering doing it too, its made for a great setup here.
I didn’t realize they were already putting poker rooms in other greyhound tracks. That’s pretty cool that you have two setups like that in Jacksonville.
wow u people should do some research there are pokerrooms all over florida within dog tracks, ebro just north of Panama City is the closest to the panhandle….
I travel from Pensacola to play poker – sometimes New Orleans or Biloxi, but I play a lot in Jacksonville and have played in a number of other rooms in the state.
The owners of the racetrack urged the county commissioners to approve poker at the track as the only way the track could stay in business. Since then, they have done nothing to pursue opening the poker room (the facility needs improvements as well as the buildout). As far as I know, they have ‘gotten quotes,’ but they probably had other motives for getting the county’s approval – such as increasing the value of their business for sale?
Word from the management is that they still are hoping to open the room by the end of the year, but I have slim, slim hopes of that! Guess I’ll just keep driving….thanks, Pensacola Greyhound Park.
Hey, just got back from doing quite well at the poker room in Pensacola that somebody said would never open. 25 Tables, larger than either the IP or Beau in Biloxi. Come join the action.
The card room has a insane rake…take your money else where.