By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com
Money is seized at the M77 Game Room in Olmito is pictured. The eight-liner establishment was one of five raided by the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office on Saturday, April 13, during Operation Bishop. (Cameron County DA photo)
A consultation with the city attorney regarding the regulation of eight-liner businesses is atop the list of items on the agenda for a special meeting of the San Benito City Commission on Monday.
The item will be discussed in executive session at the 5:30 p.m. meeting, which is scheduled at the San Benito Municipal Building Cesar Gonzalez Meeting Hall at 401 N. Sam Houston Blvd.
Such action comes after the first of what’s expected to be many raids by the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office as part of Operation Bishop – the goal of which is to close all of the reported 200 eight-liner game rooms operating in the county.
DA officials released photographs from the raids, which took place Saturday, April 13, showing an estimated total of $56,322 seized from the five eight-liners targeted, including Pink Suite in La Feria, Lucky Place Arcade in Harlingen, Golden Arcade in Harlingen, M77 Game Room in Olmito and Sahara Inn in Brownsville. It is illegal in the state of Texas for eight-liner game rooms to pay out cash prizes.
Currently, the City of San Benito issues permits for eight-liner establishments, or maquinitas as they’re more commonly referred to in the area. But that all may change come Monday.
Another item on the special meeting agenda is the consideration and action on approving Resolution 2013-11, “a resolution authorizing a moratorium on the issuance of permits and certificates of occupancy to be used for the maintenance and operation of businesses designed to operate ‘eight-liners’ and/or similar types of gaming devices.”
It’s action Place 2 City Commissioner Rene Villafranco is open to taking should that indeed be the advice of the city attorney.
“We’re going into this special meeting because our attorney has asked us to meet with him in executive session,” Villafranco said Friday. “We’re just going to hear him out, and if we have to take action and change the ordinance, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Mayor Joe H. Hernandez said in a previous interview that the city has actually long considered not renewing permits for the eight-liner establishments currently operating in the city, of which there are reportedly 10.
Recent Comments