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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Kelly's Restaurant and Casino withholds probation violations

Antioch rescinds card room decision
By Paul Burgarino
Contra Costa Times

Antioch leaders this week rescinded a decision eliminating a betting limit for card rooms in the city after learning that one of them is in the process of resolving a legal dispute with the state.

A day before this week's City Council meeting, the state's Gambling Control Commission alerted the city that it is requiring the owner of Kelly's Restaurant and Casino to sell the card room as part of a settlement over probation violations.

In a recent settlement agreement with the state, Kelly's owner Al Cianfichi acknowledged that he operated the card room in violation of a 2006 probation stemming from employees lacking valid work permits and the business failing to provide wage statements and workers' compensation insurance. He agreed to pay $112,000 in fines and investigation costs.

Cianfichi's gambling license will remain active until Jan. 31, provided he sells his ownership, according to the Sept. 22 settlement.

Cianfichi, 81, is looking to sell the business to his children Linda King and Alberto Cianfichi, family members said.

After receiving the information, city leaders altered a decision that formally transferred responsibility for processing card room work and dealer permits to the state commission. The City Council also reversed a decision eliminating a $500 betting limit on poker games in Antioch card rooms.

Asking the city to eliminate the betting limit could have been a ploy by Kelly's to make the business attractive for sell, Councilman Brian Kalinowski said.

The council demanded to know why the card room's owners failed to alert the city about the state situation, especially while asking for assistance.

Kelly's recently asked the council to allow it to expand its number of card tables from six to nine and to help relocate the business to a city-owned property near Century and Delta Fair boulevards.

The council denied both requests at its Sept. 27 meeting.

Alberto Cianfichi said the card room's legal problems were not withheld intentionally from the city, saying the matter is being addressed with the state board and that he could not discuss the details.

"Irrespective of what may happen in the future, that issue is still up in the air. Hearing about internal affairs division stuff, after agreements are stipulated to by the owner doesn't carry weight with me," Kalinowski said.

The council will consider adopting a revised ordinance that would keep the betting limit in place at its Nov. 9 meeting.

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