The historic Elks Tower on 11th and J streets in downtown Sacramento could soon be home to a 24,000 square-foot entertainment venue and cardroom. Owner Steve Ayers received a conditional-use permit for the space last month. Despite an appeal from two other Sacramento card rooms, the city council unanimously voted Tuesday to allow the project to move forward.“The only ones who opposed (it) were competitors and I get that, but competition is a healthy thing, and to add a use like this will bring a lot of people downtown,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said.The City of Sacramento can only have four cardrooms operating within city limits. After Casino Royal in the Red Lion Inn Woodlake Hotel in north Sacramento was shut down, other cardrooms, including Capitol Casino on 16th Street, began raising legal concerns about who gets the fourth cardroom license.“Mr. Ayers wants to purchase the Casino Royale license and that's absolutely prohibited,” Capitol Casino attorney Dale Campbell said during Tuesday's city council meeting. The Department of Justice is in charge of cardroom licenses and has not yet granted Ayers the fourth Sacramento license. Ayers’ team said the license is pending. Peter Dannenfelser, the project architect for the Elks Tower cardroom, said phase one of the Elks Casino would have five card tables within a 2,000 square foot space on the ground level of the building, left of the main lobby on 11th Street.Phase two would transform the basement and pool area of the building into a 17-table cardroom and lounge, featuring a brandy room, port room, wine cellar and other rare spirits and chocolate. Phase one would open by the end of November; phase two would be completed by the end of 2018.

The historic Elks Tower on 11th and J streets in downtown Sacramento could soon be home to a 24,000 square-foot entertainment venue and cardroom.

Owner Steve Ayers received a conditional-use permit for the space last month. Despite an appeal from two other Sacramento card rooms, the city council unanimously voted Tuesday to allow the project to move forward.


“The only ones who opposed (it) were competitors and I get that, but competition is a healthy thing, and to add a use like this will bring a lot of people downtown,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said.

The City of Sacramento can only have four cardrooms operating within city limits. After Casino Royal in the Red Lion Inn Woodlake Hotel in north Sacramento was shut down, other cardrooms, including Capitol Casino on 16th Street, began raising legal concerns about who gets the fourth cardroom license.

“Mr. Ayers wants to purchase the Casino Royale license and that's absolutely prohibited,” Capitol Casino attorney Dale Campbell said during Tuesday's city council meeting.

Courtesy of Peter Dannenfelser Rendering shows what the 17-table cardroom at the Elks Tower would look like when completed.

The Department of Justice is in charge of cardroom licenses and has not yet granted Ayers the fourth Sacramento license. Ayers’ team said the license is pending.



Peter Dannenfelser, the project architect for the Elks Tower cardroom, said phase one of the Elks Casino would have five card tables within a 2,000 square foot space on the ground level of the building, left of the main lobby on 11th Street.

Phase two would transform the basement and pool area of the building into a 17-table cardroom and lounge, featuring a brandy room, port room, wine cellar and other rare spirits and chocolate.

Phase one would open by the end of November; phase two would be completed by the end of 2018.