There is some news in the infrastructure industry in downtown Sacramento. If all plans go ahead, the historic Elks Tower on 11th and J streets might soon be home to a card room and entertainment venue.  The 24,000 square-foot area –– was under some controversy recently when two other card rooms in Sacramento appealed for owner Steve Ayers to be refused a permit. But that was denied when the city council voted in favor of it. In his statement, Sacramento Mayor said that the only negativity had come from competitors.  One of the reasons the issue arose was due to local law permitting only four cardrooms in the area and the recent closure of the Red Lion Inn Woodlake Hotel’s Casino Royal. This led to discussions on who would get the newly vacant license.

With this cardroom, there would be five card tables within a 2,000 square foot space on the building’s ground level in the first phase, due to open at the end of November 2017. Phase two – due for completion by the end of next year – is set to have a 17-table cardroom.

Moving on to more central infrastructure issues, in order to pay for improving California’s bridges and roads, gas and vehicle taxes will be increased. Over the next decade it is hoped that with these tax hikes, more than $52 billion will be raised. Should this go ahead, gasoline excise taxes will be increased by 12 cents per gallon, making it a 43 percent rise. According to Brown, if the state of California will not invest in fixing the roads, later on when there is no choice, the price will be eight times as high.

Perhaps if the card rooms are successful, taxes there could be put toward enhancing Californian infrastructure!