Sterling Heights

Requests by youth baseball club, prize café trigger long discussions

By Cortney Casey
C & G Staff Writer

Requests made by two separate entities, both gaming-related to various degrees, generated lengthy dialogues during the Feb. 7 City Council meeting.

Both measures ended up passing 6-1, with Councilman Paul Smith dissenting and reiterating previously expressed concerns about what he perceives as an increase in gambling locally.

The first request, a regular agenda consideration item, sought nonprofit organization recognition for the Macomb Yankees Baseball Club. The designation is needed for the club, made up mostly of Macomb County youngsters, to pursue a charitable gaming license through the state.

Organizer Denis Drumb indicated that the club hoped to raise funds to cover training, equipment and game costs — as well as potentially donate some proceeds to charity — via Texas hold ‘em events staffed by parent volunteers.

Council members voting affirmatively emphasized that the recognition, which does not imply endorsement, is the same consideration afforded to other organizations, such as band boosters and parent-teacher groups, seeking the same status in order to secure a state license for hosting card games, selling raffle tickets, etc.

Smith contended that the field of charitable gaming already seems oversaturated.

“Pretty soon, we’re going to have 100,000 of these organizations approved if a team with 10 members on it becomes the threshold for approval,” he said.

But Mayor Pro Tem Michael Taylor pointed out that City Council’s only role in the matter was confirming that the Yankees were a nonprofit organization operating within the community.

The second set of re-quests involved licenses for amusement devices at Sterling Prize Game Café, a pending facility at 15 Mile and Van Dyke at which patrons can play skill games and rack up points redeemable for non-cash prizes.

Originally encompassed on the consent agenda, the items were pulled and appended to the regular agenda by Smith to allow more in-depth discussion, and council subsequently devoted nearly an hour to the topic.

Laura Hester, representing Davos Development, told council that the 75 cashless cabinet-style gaming machines feature line puzzles and other games of skill, not chance, with base play starting at 25 cents.

Geared toward patrons ages 50-75, they’re “intentionally subdued,” not a “commando-style” that would appeal to children and teens, and no one under age 18 will be admitted without a parent or guardian, she said.

According to Hester, such facilities are operational in Florida and have become social gathering places for the older set.

Permissible under the state’s redemption gaming law, the café secured necessary approvals and variances from the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals last year.

Councilman Joseph Romano declared the business a “new frontier” and a “refreshing” option for filling a vacant storefront, while Councilwoman Maria Schmidt said she viewed it merely as an arcade for adults.

Smith argued that there’s a “fuzzy line” between games of skill and games of chance.

Referring to the cashless system, by which patrons load money onto a card that they then scan into the machines to play, he added, “If you have a thing that’s undesirable, illegal, immoral, wrong … just changing the procedure doesn’t change wrong to right. I don’t think this is the right thing to do.”

Some meeting attendees concurred with Hester’s insistence that the café’s games don’t constitute gambling; others expressed skepticism and questioned the senior-targeted marketing plan.

“Is there a limit to the number of gaming facilities that we’re going to have in Sterling Heights?” asked resident Beverly Marrocco. “I would like to know ... because I can see Sterling Heights becoming a little Las Vegas. This is a bedroom community. It just doesn’t fit.”

Taylor wryly indicated that he didn’t think local senior citizens were as naïve as detractors’ statements suggested and said he didn’t believe it was government’s role to dictate how people spend their money.

“This is an entertainment, more than anything else,” he said. “To me, it’s no different than taking $20 and going to the movies and buying yourself a large Coke.”

According to Hester, Sterling Prize Game Café’s owners are targeting a mid-to-late February opening date.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Cortney Casey at ccasey@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1046.