Antioch City Council Unanimously Approves Kelly’s Card Room

With a 5-0 vote, the Antioch City Council approved Kelly’s Restaurant and Card Room which will run a 24-hour six card table operation.  Kelly’s will now wait for a temporary approval from the California Gambling Control Commission before card games can begin.

The council also extended the time frame for Tony Keslinke to get a permanent approval from the State which was set to 24-months and extended to 36-months.

The council did set several perimeters s for the operation to help reduce potential police calls to the business which include armed guards, electronic ID scanners, and metal detectors.

Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando was reluctant to approve the card room due to police staffing and types of calls it could bring to its already low staffing department, but ultimately agreed.

“It’s been my experience that the amount of time an owner spends at the business will set the tone for behavior and it’s important that this happen here,” stated Cantando. “I was reluctant to have Kelly’s run a 24/7 operation but I was able to justify it with the condition that Kelly’s use security cards when the operation is running (2 armed guards), metal detectors after 10:00 pm and ID scanner to reduce underage drinking and gambling.”

The Chief added that he met with Mr. Keslinke and shared that he appears willing to work with the Police Department and for the most part are in agreement with stipulations.

The agenda item brought 18-public comments which 18-comments were all in support of the council approving Kellys.

Diane Gibson-Gray was in favor and stated that the other card room in Antioch, the 19^th Hole, has been a model business and done so much for the community.

“I ask that you approve fair and realistic conditions and see how the business fairs. If they do not meet the councils expectations then bring it back for review at 6-months, 1-year, etc. The council should have the option to impose further restrictions if warranted or reduce them if expectations are met,” said Gibson-Gray. “Let’s find a way to encourage new business and business growth.”

Joy Motts, representing the Rivertown Preservation Group spoke in full support of the project.

“Not only would reopening Kelly’s help our economy, but doing so would encourage other business to follow,” said Motts. “We support Tony’s effort in reopening Kellys.”

Joan Olson, a local business owner, shared how she met Mr. Keslinke and called him a “good man”.

“From what I’ve gathered, it’s not Antioch citizens who is opposed to the idea, but its outsiders who are against the idea. The city council should take interest in our own town and what is best for our town instead of yielding to outside pressure,” said Olson.

Perhaps the biggest round of applause came from Dr. Sean Wright, CEO of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce. He shared his personal story about how Mr. Keslinke invested in him before he could invest in himself and now he owns and operates his own business.

Dr. Wright shared that Mr. Keslinke creates economic development in Antioch.

“Tony has done more for economic development in the last 10-years than anyone else I’ve seen. Now you look at his building and what he has taken which was an eye sore and made it something Antioch can be proud of. From a Chamber of Commerce and economic development standpoint, we stand behind him,” said Wright. “It’s not just him, it’s also the future investors he brings in. What you have here tonight is not a decision over Kelly’s, it’s a decision on our future economic development for our town. If we say no to him, we say goodbye to him and investors he could possibly bring in over the next five years because they will know doing business in Antioch is not worth their time and money. That is the decision tonight.”

Mr. Keslinke addressed the council sharing his excitement over the Kelly’s Restaurant and Card Room where the staff recommended approval. He also reminded the council that the planning commission voted in favor of the project including a 5-0 vote in Sacramento from the California Gambling Commission.

“I understand the chiefs concerns, and shared a working relationship and will continue,” said Keslinke. “We will be creating 48-jobs both full and part-time jobs that are local. We will also be taking an unused building and restoring it to the grandness of what it once was and Antioch will be proud of and safe. We need more thriving business in this town. We need Kelly’s back. Your action tonight will determine if those jobs are created and inaction shows that those jobs are never created.”

He further explained that tonight’s action does not mean he can immediately operate, but it allows him to move forward with the State and move along in the process to reopening Kelly’s.

“Antioch needs to address the hard issues. Leadership is taking a chance and risk and doing it in a smart way. You were elected to make those tough choices, it’s not always safe but people are looking at the five of you tonight,” stated Keslinke. “I have been bullied by out of town interest and fought them out of my own pocket, I have not backed down and I ask you not to back down. The residents of this city have not faltered and I ask you not to.”

With the conditions approved by the council last night by a unanimous vote, games will begin once Kelly’s is granted a temporary approval from the state. At that point, Mr. Keslinke will have 36-months to gain a permanent approval from the California Gambling Control Commission.