Nonprofit Looks To Set Up Bingo Hall In Suisun City

A bingo hall may be on its way to Suisun City.

The hall is expected to be planted within the Marina Shopping Center off of Highway 12 and may become a part of Suisun City as soon as January of next year.

“The City has been in conversation with the center’s owner regarding appropriate uses within the remodeled and upgraded Marina Center,” said Scott Corey, city spokesman. “Among the items raised in those conversations was establishing a bingo operation.”

Earlier this summer at a city council meeting, there were talks and steps made to amend the city’s current ordinances for applying for a bingo hall license. The previous law was last amended in 1983 and items within the ordinance had to be changed to keep up with state statutes on bingo hall licensing.

Amendments included that of increasing highest the amount allowed for prizes to $500 and the use of proceeds, to name a few. There are currently no applications for a bingo hall filed, but Corey said Suisun City is “committed to helping establish the Marina Center as a vibrant commercial hub for Suisun City. “

The organization looking to open the hall is the Blue Devils Performing Arts Organization, a nonprofit organization. It is the parent organization that supports the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, a 14-time world championship organization teaching 500 students each year. They currently have a bingo hall in Concord operating seven days a week.

“Were optimistic, but we have a few things to work out,” said Brett Rios, BD Performing Arts Director of Operations.

Rios said he is not sure of the exact building the bingo hall would occupy at Marina Center. Since the nonprofit does not have a set address, and talks are still underway, there is no need to apply for a bingo hall license.

 “That’s really up to (Marina Center),” said Rios. “They have to sort out their space, but there’s plenty of room for us to do what we want to do there, it’s just that they have to work all of that out and we’re in talks with them about terms. We haven’t actually come to an agreement or signed a lease or anything.”

Though there is a bit to go between now and the opening of a hall, Rios believes things are on track.

“Were just estimating right now that if all these things sort of fell in line and they worked good and all the time it takes to prepare the space and all that, then we’d hope to open in January,” he said.