MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — A 35-year-old salesman in blue jeans sat down, ordered a Bud Light and put a $100 bill on the blackjack table. The dealer, Alise Winsor of Auburn, handed him a stack of red chips and dealt the cards.
On his lunch break, the Lynnwood man wanted to see the Red Dragon, the newest card room in Mountlake Terrace, in person. He liked what he saw.
“It is something to do on my lunch breaks,” said the salesman, who declined to give his name. “It’s newer so it is nice. I don’t like the (cigarette) smoke. So with the high ceilings, I will come back here.”
The center of the Red Dragon — a two-story-tall great room with seven card tables and four poker tables on the ground floor — feels spacious. Sports bar patrons and pool players on the second floor can watch players on the ground floor tables. An abundance of red paint, cherry wood and golden details invokes an Asian atmosphere.
More competition
Owner Geordie Sze is gambling the Red Dragon, which opened last week, will soar over the competition by offering a quality experience, from the exotic decor to friendly employees.
“We are not afraid of competition,” marketing manager Michelle Eckhart said.
The Red Dragon, located at 21917 Hwy 99, picked its battle by landing a block from the Silver Dollar, Snohomish County’s heavyweight. The Silver Dollar Casino cashed in about $7 million in net receipts last year, according to the state Gambling Commission. The Silver Dollar ranks fifth in gross receipts in the state and first in Snohomish County.
The Crazy Moose Casino, which reported about $770,000 in net receipts last year, is a few blocks to the east.
Silver Dollar general manager Mary Abel and Crazy Moose casino manager Mail Mai welcome their new neighbor.
“We wish them nothing but success in the gaming industry,” Abel said. “Competition is very healthy.”
The close quarters is a good thing, Eckhart said. The concentration of card rooms will attract players like a shopping mall attracts shoppers.
Owner Geordie Sze got his inspiration from a “Red Dragon” casino in the movie, “Rush Hour 2.” Sze, who is one of three business investors that owns Parker’s Casino in Shoreline, was unavailable for an interview.
Born in Taiwan, Sze moved to the United States as a small child, Eckhart said. He studied marketing at a Midwest college. He has dabbled in several industries, including night clubs.
Professional courtesy aside, the Dragon, the Silver Dollar and the Crazy Moose will be vying for customers and their cash.
“Now it is a customer service race,” Crazy Moose’s casino manager Mail Mai said. “We are here to provide an escape from reality.”
The Lynnwood salesman agreed, saying he looks for casinos that treat him well. But he doesn’t like it when employees acknowledge him as a regular when he visits with friends.
“It’s a little side hobby of mine. Not everyone needs to know about it,” he said.
Revenue stream
The Red Dragon will likely bring more cha-ching! to the city’s coffers. The city collected about $1.25 million in gambling taxes last year. That’s about 10 percent of the city’s general fund, which supports the city’s daily operations.
The gambling tax, which is the general fund’s third largest revenue source, rose from roughly $840,000 in 2002. The city is benefiting from the Silver Dollar’s profits, which nearly doubled between 2001 and 2004, and the arrival of Crazy Moose, which opened in March 2004.
Property taxes, the general fund’s largest revenue source, has hovered at about $3.2 million since 2002. That’s about 26 percent of the general fund.
Sales taxes, the general fund’s second largest revenue source, has crept up from $1.49 million in 2002 to $1.58 million in 2004.
Mountlake Terrace police will also be watching the Red Dragon, like all of the city’s card rooms, chief Scott Smith said. Based on the department’s experience with the Silver Dollar and Crazy Moose, the chief is expecting more service calls for a few months.
“That tends to subside as their security staff becomes used to the operation,” the police chief said. “It does require more attention which is why we pro actively walk through the card rooms on a regular basis.”
The card rooms have not brought a significant increase in crime, Smith said.
Card room operators also try to help addicted gamblers. They are required by law to donate to Gamblers Anonymous, a support group, and post information like gambling hotlines.
“We take steps to ensure it stays a fun atmosphere,” Eckhart said. “We do not want to take their money under a false pretense.”
Fun is what keeps the salesman at the table. He has been playing cards for 10 years.
“Overall, I would say I am not a winner,” he said. “It’s fun.”
He won $26,000 in Las Vegas once, but lost it at the card tables on the same trip.
“I didn’t walk away at the right time,” he said.
“Easy come, easy go.”
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