Casino Bay 101
Bay 101 is located at the south end of the San Francisco Bay in San Jose, CA. They’re a great choice thanks to their proximity to the San Jose airport, making them a prime stopover destination for travelers who get a poker itch. Bay 101 is a casino that is much older than many would expect. While it is in an entirely different location today, the casino was originally opened in 1929. In recent years there has been a lot of news and development at Bay 101.
| Bay 101 | |
|---|---|
| Location | San Jose, California |
| Address | 1788 North First Street |
| Opening date | 1929 (Sutter’s Club) 1994 (Bay 101) |
| Casino type | Cardroom |
| Owner | Bumb & Associates |
| Previous names | Sutter’s Club (1929-1992) |
| Website | bay101.com |
Bay 101 is a cardroom in San Jose, California. Like other California cardrooms, Bay 101 offers poker cash games and tournaments as well as special 'California' style table games.
Bay 101 is perhaps best known for hosting the Bay 101 Shooting Star, a World Poker Tour tournament created by Bay 101 owner Marko Trapani in 1997.[1] The Bay 101 Shooting Star is a major bounty tournament, and the only one of its type on the World Poker Tour.[2]
History[edit]
In 1929, Joseph Sutter Sr. purchased the Panama Inn in Alviso, which he would rename as Sutter's Club.[3][4][5] Sutter's son, Joseph Sutter Jr., took over the establishment in 1947,[6] and added poker tables in 1961.[4]
In 1989, Caltrans released plans for widening of Highway 237 that would require demolishing the club.[6] A group of investors including Berryessa Flea Market owner Jeff Bumb announced a plan to acquire a 49 percent interest in Sutter's Place and move it to a new, larger facility.[7][8] The move would have been prohibited under a 1978 city law intended to phase out card rooms by ending issuance of new licenses and transfers of existing licenses.[9][10] However, Bumb's group successfully lobbied the city council to amend the law to allow Sutter's to move to a new location and expand to 40 tables.[7][11][12]
Sutter's closed in June 1992.[11] Initial plans called for it to move to the Italian Gardens complex near Downtown San Jose, but negotiations with the site owner failed.[7][13] Developers instead selected a site in an industrial area near Highway 101.[14] A contest was held to choose a new name for the casino, and Bay 101 was selected out of 7,400 entries.[15] The cardroom was built at its new location at a cost of $15 million.[16]
Bay 101 held a grand opening in November 1993, but could not offer gaming because background checks for the owners' gaming license had not been completed; only the restaurants and bar were operating.[17] As the licensing process dragged on, the club was closed and its 600 employees were laid off in December.[18] The state Department of Justice eventually denied Bay 101's license application because of alleged failures to disclose certain financial information, and other reasons that were not made public.[19] The shareholders then agreed to sell their stakes in the business to brothers Tim Bumb and George Bumb Jr., who had previously been only passive investors, and were seen as the most likely to successfully appeal the state's decision.[20][21] Under the sole ownership of Tim and George, Bay 101 received a provisional gaming license in August 1994.[22] The card room finally opened and dealt its first games on September 9, 1994.[23]
Bay 101 announced plans in 2013 to move across the freeway to the site of the San Jose Airport Hotel, near the new location of the city's other cardroom, Casino M8trix.[4] The Bumb family had purchased the hotel in 2012 for more than $20 million, in anticipation of the cardroom's lease coming to an end in 2017.[24] An alternative plan emerged in June 2014, as Bay 101 lobbied for permission to move to Milpitas, where it would pay a lower tax rate and be allowed to expand to 115 tables.[25][26] That plan was rejected, however, by Milpitas voters.[27] The Airport Hotel was demolished in December 2015 to make way for Bay 101's new $100-million casino, hotel, and, office complex.[28][29] The first phase of the new complex, comprising the casino and a restaurant, opened in September 2017.[30]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Erik Fast (2014-03-12). 'World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star Main Event Draws Record Field of 718 Entries - Poker News'. cardplayer.com. Retrieved 2015-01-20.
- ^Chad Holloway (2012-07-16). 'World Poker Tour on FSN: Bay 101 Shooting Star Season X — Part I'. PokerNews. Retrieved 2015-01-20.
- ^Mike Cassidy (April 19, 1993). 'Name a cardroom, win a grand'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^ abcJohn Woolfolk (August 2, 2013). 'Bay 101 card room in San Jose plans move next to Casino M8trix'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
- ^Mike Cassidy (October 6, 1991). 'Postcards from First Street'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^ abMaline Hazle (February 8, 1989). 'Alviso card room's days are numbered'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^ abcMaline Hazle (December 20, 1991). 'S.J. card room is proposed'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (January 23, 1992). 'Odds are, card room will move'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (June 29, 1987). 'Tony's may become only game in town'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (March 18, 1992). 'S.J. gets set to gamble on card rooms'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^ abMaline Hazle (June 10, 1992). 'Card rules changes'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (March 17, 1993). 'S.J. OKs expanded 40-table card club'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (May 8, 1992). 'Card room move to S.J. fizzles'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (March 16, 1993). 'Card club expansion on table'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Mike Cassidy (July 19, 1993). 'Two contestants won the $1,000 prize'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (February 18, 1994). 'Card club owners say they may sell'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (November 19, 1993). 'State stymies Bay 101 club'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (December 10, 1993). 'Bay 101 cardroom to lay off 600'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Maline Hazle (February 10, 1994). 'State says no deal to Bay 101'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Mary Anne Ostrom (March 11, 1994). '2 brothers drop Bay 101 plans'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Mary Anne Ostrom; Scott Herhold (September 4, 1994). 'Bay 101's accidental heirs'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Mary Anne Ostrom (August 27, 1994). 'Conditional OK for Bay 101'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Mary Anne Ostrom (September 10, 1994). 'Bay 101 shuffles deck, deals first card'. San Jose Mercury News – via NewsBank.
- ^Nathan Donato-Weinstein (November 28, 2012). 'Bay 101 owners buy North San Jose hotel'. Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
- ^Ian Bauer (August 6, 2014). 'Milpitas council OK's card room ballot measure for November election'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
- ^George Avalos (September 9, 2014). 'Bay 101 seeking new card room in San Jose, Milpitas'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
- ^Ian Bauer (November 5, 2014). 'Milpitas voters fold card room Measure E'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
- ^Mark Dufrene (December 30, 2015). 'Old San Jose Hyatt/San Jose Airport Garden Hotel site cleared'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
- ^George Avalos (January 11, 2016). 'Work starts on north San Jose site for casino, hotels and offices'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
- ^Ramona Giwargis (September 28, 2017). 'New Bay 101 Casino opens its doors in San Jose'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
External links[edit]
Coordinates: 37°22′22″N121°54′40″W / 37.37264°N 121.91101°W
California is a state with a mixed gambling history. These days, it technically allows all types of gambling in one form or another. However, the specifics of where and how you can enjoy these activities are heavily dependent on location and regulations. For instance, casino games are only legal at Indian casinos rather than resorts on state land.
Below we will break down the types of gambling you can enjoy in Northern California.
Northern California Indian Casinos
Tribal casinos are currently legal in California thanks to laws between the state and federal government and the Indian tribes who maintain various territorial pockets throughout the state. At the time of writing, 63 tribal casinos operate in California. Combined, they produce over $8 billion in revenue every year.
Legality And Revenue
Indian casinos do not follow the same gambling regulations that other gambling sites do within the state. Because of this, resort-goers can find most major gambling activities within these resorts, including blackjack, poker, electronic games, slot machines, lottery games, bingo, and more. Gambling activities are either regulated by the National Indian Gaming Commission or state authorities.
Because tribal casinos drawing so much revenue, casinos often feature distinct themes or special attractions or resorts. Northern California Indian casinos are largely positioned around Sacramento or the Bay Area, although a few stretch a little farther north. Most of these resorts may have themes revolving around wine country or the NorCal wilderness and mountains.
Be advised that you need to be 21-years-old to enter most of the top Northern California tribal casinos. This is despite the fact that the legal gambling age is 18-years-old. Many casinos require you to be 21-years-old since they serve alcohol on their premises.
Northern California tribal casinos don’t currently allow sports betting, but may bring in brick-and-mortar sports betting over the next few years.
Where To Play
Some of the best Northern California tribal casinos include:
Thunder Valley Casino Resort
This casino is just outside Sacramento and is one of the largest resorts in the entire state, featuring over 145,000 ft.². It offers 2,000 slot machines and over 100 gaming tables plus options for bingo and live poker. It’s 17-story tower hotel contains 297 rooms as well as a fine selection of excellent restaurants and other amenities. The casino is open 24 hours daily.
Table Mountain Casino
This casino is located north of Fresno. It’s actually due for a renovation, as it was built in 1987. It’s going to be replaced by a larger casino and hotel over the next few years. At the moment, it offers over 2,000 gaming machines, 10 poker tables, and a plethora of other table game opportunities.
Tachi Palace Casino Resort
This resort draws customers from all across the state, thanks to its expansive space and 45,000 square-foot concert venue. As a result, it’s a frequent location for entertainment tours and activities beyond regular gambling experiences. It also offers over 2,000 slot machines and a seven-table poker room. Other features include a 255-room hotel and spa along with nine restaurants for a variety of dining opportunities.
Northern California Card Rooms
California offers some of the best card rooms in the entire country. California card rooms are legal because they have players bet against one another instead of the house. The card rooms themselves make their profit by charging players small fees to enter games. Dealers rotate with every hand.
Games Available
Most California card rooms include staple poker varieties like Texas Hold’Em and Seven-Card Stud, although you can also find additional games depending on the location. Additionally, most California card rooms offer “Cal Games”, which are card games with rules tweaked to ensure their legality under California legislation. Cal Games include Blackjack, Pai Gow, Chinese Poker, and more.
Many of the best California card rooms also offer tons of poker tournaments for both beginners and experts. This draws plenty of traffic, especially at more popular card rooms. Tournament buy-ins and pools can range from the tens of dollars up to the hundreds or thousands of dollars.
All players need to be 18-years-old to legally gamble in a California card room.
Where To Play
There are 66 card rooms currently operating in California. Here are some of the best you can find in Northern California:
Bay 101
Bay 101 is located at the south end of the San Francisco Bay in San Jose, CA. They’re a great choice thanks to their proximity to the San Jose airport, making them a prime stopover destination for travelers who get a poker itch. They offer a variety of poker games and tournaments, and frequently draw experienced crowds to offer moderate to high-skill poker action.
Bay 101 Casino Robbery
California Grand Casino
This casino is actually the oldest continually operating poker room in the world, as it’s been offering poker since 1854. It served as stagecoach and Pony Express stop before becoming an explicit casino. Weekly tournaments and Cal Games are included, like blackjack, pai gow, and three-card poker for even more variety. The casino was moved into a new and modern building in 2009, so it offers fresh amenities and plenty of creature comforts.
Capitol Casino
This casino is a relatively simplistic entertainment venue without a lot of bells and whistles, but they offer plenty of excellent poker action. They also offer excellent restaurant and bar options, so it’s a good place for general entertainment and enjoyment. They draw crowds from all over the Sacramento area and offer daily and weekly tournaments.
Northern California Race Tracks
Horse racing is one of the few types of wagering fully legal in California at in-person locations and online horse racing apps. Horse racing was legalized in 1933 using a pari-mutuel model. In short, this meant that bettors wager against each other while the horse track facilities take a small cut of the overall pool in order to make a profit.
Most Northern and Southern California horse racing tracks emphasize thoroughbred races, although you can find Quarter Horse races at a few select tracks. There used to be many more tracks in general, but the overall decline in attendance and several other factors have resulted in only a few major California horse tracks remaining open today.
Those who enjoy horse racing can make straight and exotic bets depending on a track’s offerings. You’ll also be able to find 27 satellite locations that offer off-track horse race betting if you don’t want to use a mobile app. There’s only one really excellent Northern California horse racing track compared to the three you can find in the southern half of the state:
Golden Gate Fields Race Track
This 140-acre horse racing track is located in Berkeley, right next to the San Francisco Bay. As a result, attendees benefit from expansive views of the local Bay Area and generally pleasant weather all year round. It’s also the only major thoroughbred racetrack in Northern California.
Bay 101 Casino Open Today
Golden Gate Fields features a one-mile synthetic track and a turf course that measures 9/10 of a mile. It can fit thousands of customers and features on-site parking for visitor convenience. Horse racing enthusiasts will enjoy several graded events that are held every year, including the Berkeley Handicap, San Francisco Mile Stakes, and California Derby.
Admission is always free for children. There are plenty of comfortable facilities for both regular attendees and for those who are part of various clubs. Guests are even able to meet jockeys and see horses at the paddocks. The location is convenient since there are tons of hotels and dining options fairly nearby.
Northern California Gambling FAQ
As with Southern California, it depends on the activity in question. Gambling in general is legal only for those 18-years-old or older. However, you have to be 21-years-old to enter some Indian casinos because of alcohol restrictions.
This is largely because of the higher concentration of large metropolitan areas in the southern half of the state. Big cities like Los Angeles and San Diego have naturally drawn more gambling locations over time.
No. State authorities and the National Indian Gaming Commission are responsible for regulating all gambling institutions in California. They hold all institutions to the same standards.
No. Sports betting is technically illegal. However, new legislation may allow Indian casinos to bring brick-and-mortar sports betting to their casinos.
Bay Area Indian Casinos
For the purpose of this article, we define Northern California as anything north of Fresno. Big metropolitan areas in Northern California include the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.