State Alcohol Commission and Police Moved In Hours After Major Tournament Wrapped Up
The World Poker Tour has postponed the Lodge Wildcard: Wacky Weekend of Poker, scheduled for March 13-15 at The Lodge Card Club in Round Rock, Texas, after authorities raided the venue Tuesday morning.
In a social media statement, the WPT said the decision was made due to "circumstances outside of WPT's control that impact event operations." No replacement dates have been announced.
Raid Hits Texas' Largest Poker Room
State police and the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission conducted the enforcement action at The Lodge on Tuesday morning. The Round Rock club, co-owned by Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen, is the largest poker room in Texas.
The raid came roughly 16 hours after the Lodge Championship Series Main Event wrapped up at the same property.
Players who were present reported being told to take their chips home and return them when the club reopens. One Reddit post claimed authorities required patrons to show identification before leaving. The reason for the action has not been made public.
The Round Rock Police Department confirmed the matter is being investigated by the TABC, though officials have not clarified whether it relates to poker operations or the club's liquor license. Polk said he was not on the premises during the raid and is still gathering information before issuing a formal statement.
Second WPT Delay This Month
The Lodge postponement is the second WPT event shelved in March. Earlier this month, the tour pulled the $1,100 WPT Prime Cyprus Championship, which carried a $1 million guarantee, from its March 5-9 schedule at the Chamada Prestige Hotel and Spa, citing safety concerns tied to escalating military conflict involving Iran. The remainder of that festival continued with an alternate $1,100 event in its place.
Players registered for the Lodge Wildcard weekend are advised to watch for further updates as the situation continues to unfold.
