The
selectmen bluffed at making a decision on whether to
allow a nonprofit organization to use the town
community center for a "Texas Showdown" poker
tournament.
A
Hampstead nonprofit organization requested use of the
Atkinson Community Center to raise money for a
baseball league. At the selectmen’s meeting on Monday,
the name of the nonprofit organization was unknown and
the selectmen decided to put off making a decision
until they receive more details and a formal
application.
Selectman Philip Consentino, who is also the police
chief, said he would not support gambling in a public
building.
"Atkinson, is a very quiet, calm, laid-back town; it
was a dry town. Now all of a sudden we have the
devil’s brew, which is alcohol, being served at the
Atkinson Country Club and now we’re going to have
gambling in a public building?" said Consentino. "I
mean we’re going to turn into sin city here. It’s
unbelievable."
Town Administrator Russell McAllister said he was told
by town attorney Sumner Kalman that the decision on
how to use public buildings is up to the selectmen.
Consentino said he would also like the opinion of the
Gambling Commission and the Secretary of State’s
Office.
Consentino’s fellow selectmen, Fred Childs and
Chairman Brian Boyle, said they did not think the
request was as outrageous as Consentino described it
to be.
"If it’s legal I don’t mind seeing it. This is kind of
a limited thing; it’s not like you’ll have 500
people," said Childs. "I suggest we figure out all the
particulars before we decide."
"I
think a lot of things that happen in this town that
would qualify as gambling anyway," said Boyle, who
added that the capacity of the community center is
only 120 people.
Childs added that the recent popularity of late-night
Texas Holdem poker tournaments on television has many
fund-raising organizations taking advantage of the
increased interest.
Consentino said the town has allowed "Las Vegas Night"
in the past at a local restaurant and the Atkinson
Country Club as long as they had the proper state and
town gambling permits. He said a police detail was
needed as well and there was no a problem.
Consentino said he is worried other nonprofit
organizations will start requesting community center’s
cheaper rent to raise money through gambling. He said
the cost to rent space in the Atkinson Country Club is
about $2,000 a night and he compared that price to the
$100 a night Childs said the community center rents
its space.
"That’s tax dollars that go into keeping that
(building) up," said Consentino. "And now we’re
opening it up to gambling?"
