The BTN Quarterly Newsletter

As many of you recall, the old III Forks restaurant was purchased by the company Champions several years ago.  In 2021 when they submitted an application to the be a full-blown poker club. The board and the neighborhood mobilized and successfully got that application rejected.

 

Over the course of the next four years up to the present, there were continued efforts by Champions/Contenders to open and by Bent Tree North residents to resist that opening both with the city and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC).

 

In April of this year, Champions Club, under the name of Contenders, applied for and was a granted a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) listing “Legal Poker” as a use under the CO. A few days later, the City of Dallas caught the error and revoked the CO. Champions then appealed the revocation of the CO to the Board of Adjustments who heard the case on June 17.

 

Prior to the June 17 meeting, there were multiple communications to the BTN residents concerning the situation and ultimately a Townhall meeting on June 9 at the Church of the Holy Communion. We had 113 residents in attendance along with two City of Dallas attorneys and Texas House Representative Mihaela Plesa.  We talked about the situation, status of the legal challenge in place at the Texas Supreme Court and discussed attendance at the June 17 meeting. We appreciate the Church for allowing us to meet in their facility.  A more detailed summary of the Town Hall meeting is linked here. 

 

Details of the meeting can be found HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

On June 17, over 25 of our neighbors attended the hearing with almost everyone presenting to the BoA. Attorneys for both the City of Dallas and Contenders (Champions) then petitioned for a delay of the hearing until August 19, so as to give the Texas Supreme Court time to decide whether to hear a relevant case (not the specific situation with Champions) on the legality of poker. All documents needed by the Texas Supreme Court have been filed by the City of Dallas and a ruling as to whether they will hear the case is expected by the end of the July.

 

Since the Texas Supreme Court will not actually be ruling on the case, only that it will or will not be heard, the Board of Adjustments will re-hear the appeal at their August 19 meeting.

 

We are going to need strong attendance and as many speakers as possible at the August 19 meeting.  

 

While we really wanted a decision on June 17 from the Board of Adjustment, we learned a lot on the process and we can be better prepared for the August 19 meeting.  

 

There will be additional communications to the residents between now and mid-August. We are adding this important date to our calendar. 

 

Tom Dupree - BTN HOA Board Member