- The WPT's Wacky Weekend Wildcard event has been postponed after Texas authorities raided The Lodge Card Club Tuesday morning.
- Players inside got ID'd on the spot and walked out the door, chips in hand, with no reopening date announced.
- Polk has stayed quiet so far but signaled a full statement breaking down the situation is coming within the next few days.
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The World Poker Tour's "Wacky Weekend Wildcard" event, scheduled for this Friday at The Lodge Card Club, has been postponed following an early Tuesday morning raid by state authorities and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Players had been anticipating a stacked Wacky Weekend tournament roster that included Deuces Wild and Mystery Bounty Chaos near the top. The WPT was forced to cancel the event after things at The Lodge broke down, claiming that they had no control over the situation.
When police arrived, players who were inside were stopped, asked to present identification, and then instructed to take their chips home until the club reopens. It's still unclear exactly when the reopening will occur.
With a floor that can accommodate more than 80 tables and a full weekly program of cash games and tournaments, Round Rock's The Lodge has spent years establishing itself as one of the best states with poker venues in the nation. The club was founded by Brad Owen, Andrew Neeme, and Doug Polk, who transformed it into one of the biggest private poker businesses in the country.
The timing of the raid was especially inconvenient for both staff and players because it occurred about sixteen hours after the conclusion of The Lodge Championship Series Main Event. Whether the action is connected to gaming operations or a liquor licensing issue has not been confirmed by the authorities.
Poker in Texas operates in private clubs where players face off against one another, as allowed by state law. Polk has stated that he intends to make an in-depth statement in the coming days.