Season Ticket Sports, Spirits & Grub, a sports bar and restaurant near Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, plans to open a gambling operation at its premises early next year.


Randazzo Co. LLC, of Spokane, which owns Season Ticket, is asking the Washington state Gambling Commission for permission to open a 12-table card room inside the 10,000-square-foot establishment at 1221 N. Howard. The company is owned by Chuck Randazzo and his wife, Kathy.


The Spokane couple also is awaiting the outcome of a statewide initiative, I-892, in the Nov. 2 general election. The measure would authorize licensed non-tribal gambling establishments to operate the same type and number of machines as tribal governments, with a portion of tax revenue generated by the additional machines used to reduce state property taxes. If the initiative passes, the Randazzos plan to add up to 20 electronic slot machines at Season Ticket, with some possibly in the card room, or in another area of the establishment. If it fails, they will go ahead with just the card room.


Its not up and running until the gambling commission gives us full authority to open the card room, says Chuck Randazzo. Now, with the gambling measure in the upcoming election, it makes the card room that much more attractive.


Season Ticket currently employs about 20 people. Randazzo says he expects to hire between 50 and 75 people to staff the card room. He says that card dealers and security personnel would represent the bulk of the new employees in the gambling operation.


Even without the gambling operation, Season Ticket projects to have about $750,000 in revenues this year, Randazzo says. He estimates that casino, including the slot machines, would generate about $3 million in additional annual revenues.


Were not sure what effect the gambling will have on the food and beverage portions of our business, he says. It could increase those between 10 and 25 percent.


The card room would offer games of chance that pit players against the house, including blackjack, Spanish 21, and three-card poker. Customers would not be allowed to play against one other.


We already offer pull tabs, pool tables, dartboards, and shuffleboard. So, adding gambling seemed to be a reasonable expansion of what we already have, Randazzo says. Weve taken into account the possibility of getting the machines (if I-892 passes). We would add five machines right away with the possibility of adding another 15 machines later.


Randazzo expects to remodel a portion of the building once the license is approved. The project includes installing security features, and is expected to cost about $175,000.


The casino is expected to occupy about 3,500 square feet of floor space. Season Ticket previously had leased that space to the Brickwall Comedy Club, which relocated to the Budget Inn, at 110 E. Fourth.


While the comedy club was a revenue producer, the room was sitting empty Sunday through Thursday, Randazzo says. It wasnt a good business decision to use 33 percent of my restaurant that way.


Season Ticket opened about five years ago. Randazzo and his wife also own the Viking, a popular tavern located nearby, at 1221 N. Stevens.