Posted: Friday, January 22, 2010 2:00 pm | Updated: .
With hall rentals down due to the economy, Windham veterans are hoping to save their meeting hall by turning to community poker tournaments as a source of income.
But due to missing paperwork, the veterans groups are having difficulty obtaining the proper state permits, and have turned to a local legislator for help.
Using similar operations in Bath and Lewiston as a model, Windham Veterans Association President Don Swander is seeking permits from the state gambling control board to hold three poker tournaments per month. Swander said the games could generate as much as $2,500 per tournament, which would pay for monthly bills and allow the center to expand.
"We are turning to Texas Hold 'Em poker tournaments as a vehicle because the rentals have fallen drastically off, and also because we realize we need to do some remodeling in our building so veterans can feel comfortable coming and going as they want to," Swander said.
Now, veterans are only attending scheduled events at the hall. Swander envisions a small addition that would allow veterans access anytime they want, even if an event is being held in the larger hall.
Having paid off the mortgage in June 2008, Swander is proud to say the veterans own their hall located behind the Windham Mall. Prior to early 2008, Swander said the hall was rented at a good clip for such events as weddings, wedding receptions, family reunions and corporate parties, as well as Boy Scout meetings and other club meetings. Then, the bottom fell out.
"During most of 2005, 2006, and 2007, the hall was rented five to six times per week," Swander said. "During that time we were able to make extra payments on the mortgage, paying it off six years early.
"But in early 2008, as the economy began to affect the way people lived, people stopped calling for smaller events such as kids' birthday parties, bridal showers, things they could do at home. Now we're lucky to have two rentals a week," he said.
But before giving up the ghost and selling the hall, Swander and his fellow veterans will try generating revenue in other ways, hoping they can bridge the gap to a better economy.
Swander has investigated poker tourneys and found only corporate entities can hold them, and the maximum number of players allowed per tourney is 100, with the maximum buy-in per player being $100. If 100 people attended, Swander said, the pot would consist of $10,000. According to state law, "The House" (in this case, the veterans) can retain 25 percent.
"We would need at least 10 players to hold the tournament, but I figure 40 to 80 players would be the average," Swander said. "You go to tournaments around the state, which I have, and that's what you see, although people tell me that around here we'd probably be turning people away it'd be so popular."
THREE'S A CHARM
But because the hall is home to three organizations-the Windham VFW, the American Legion, and the umbrella organization Windham Veterans Association-Swander said he is pursuing a license to hold three poker tournaments per month, in order to maximize revenue.
While he said gaining state licenses for the American Legion and the VFW probably won't pose a problem, Swander has turned to state Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Cumberland, for help securing a license for the Windham Veterans Association.
"The Windham Town Council has already approved the Windham Veterans Association for a first game in December, then approved the VFW for a first game in January, but neither has been held because of the gaming commission regulations which call for early corporation data for both groups," Swander said.
Swander is having trouble finding the proper documentation, circa the early 1980s, of the Windham Veterans Association, though he believes it does exist, "and it's just a matter of finding it."
He said members of Windham's American Legion and VFW were automatically members of the Windham Veterans Association and "nothing much was made of it."
But now, the apparent lack of documentation is posing a problem for licensers in state government. Proper documentation includes such items as a list of founding members, the date the group was created, a list of board of directors, and a copy of the bylaws.
Sgt. Bill Gomane, in charge of the gaming and weapons section for the Maine State Police, said he received a call from Diamond but has yet to receive a completed application from Swander.
"We license lots of veterans associations around the state, but everybody has to submit the same paperwork," Gomane said. "We can't do anything without the proper paperwork."
While Swander attempts to document the Windham Veterans Association, Diamond said he is working with the state to grant licenses for the American Legion and VFW, and leave the Windham Veterans Association license for later.
"I don't think the state's asking anything unusual, so we'll do what we can to help (the Windham veterans) over the hurdle. My sense is that they need some income as soon as possible," Diamond said.
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