The Bicycle Hotel & Casino in Bell Gardens, California has officially reopened after roughly six months of closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The legendary Los Angeles card room has resumed offering gaming action as of 8:00 a.m. Monday, with a brand new outdoor gaming area featuring 52 tables, including 17 poker tables ready for cash game action.

1. The Bike Casino Reopening
2. The Bike Casino Poker Room

A social media post announcing the reopening stated that, “Your health and safety will remain our top priority. Masks and temperature checks will be required. We look forward to seeing you soon!”

The Bicycle Hotel & Casino offers accommodations in Bell Gardens. Every room is fitted with a flat-screen TV. You will find a coffee machine in the room. For your comfort, you will find guest bathrobes, free toiletries and a hairdryer in the private bathroom. Offering millions in guarantees each year, The Bicycle Hotel & Casino hosts poker's premiere tournaments, including the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker. Which means anyone can go from casual player to millionaire high roller. For results and the latest up-to-date action, visit the Tournament Blog. The Bicycle Hotel & Casino (commonly, 'The Bike') is a poker cardroom in California. Founded by George Hardie Sr. In 1984, located in Bell Gardens, California, The Bicycle Casino offers a selection of poker games and Asian games, with a wide range of limits.

We're Now Open! #Poker, #Baccarat, #UTH and more. #BicycleCasino#CardsintheAir#backatthebike#welcomebackpic.twitter.com/E1FQNVCb60

— Bicycle Hotel Casino (@BicycleCasino) October 5, 2020

The Bike briefly reopened in late June after roughly three months of temporary closure, announcing a sweeping safety plan called the ‘WE CARE’ initiative that was “designed to enhance safety and minimize risk for our patrons and Team Members.'

The Bike had to once again halt operations just a few weeks later after an order from California Gov. Gavin Newsom that imposed restrictions on indoor businesses that included card rooms, along with dine-in restaurants, wineries and bars, family entertainment centers, movie theaters, zoos and museums. The Bike was just one of several card rooms in the Los Angeles and Bay Areas impacted by the Governor’s order.

“Many games that you are familiar with will be offered, but not all games types and limits will be available and may change on a daily basis. Please download our Bicycle Casino App for active tables available and contact us before your visit.” Those interested can contact the Bike via their website or by calling (562)806-4646.

The outdoor gaming areas have impacted the way that parking was set up previously. Valet services have been temporarily suspended. Hotel guest parking is located in Lot A, near the main entrance, while casino parking will be located in the south parking lot.

The Bike Brewery and Starbucks are open daily, but eating and drinking won’t be allowed at gaming tables due to health guidelines. Food and drink must be consumed in outdoor designated areas.

The Bike has also provided some information for guests regarding what they need to know before visiting the property.

● Bring a mask to wear while on property. Masks that cover your nose and mouth are required for everyone at all times. Complimentary masks will be available while supplies last. Masks are also available for purchase.
● Bring hand sanitizer if possible. You will be required to use hand sanitizer when you sit down to participate in any and all games.
● Maintain social distance from other guests and team members.
● Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water at least once per hour.
● Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms, have tested positive, or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
● All visitors, employees and vendors will be required to pass a temperature check and respond to questions regarding COVID-19 symptoms before entry.
● Players will be required to have a Player’s Rewards Card to play any game on the property incase we may need to contact our players as needed.

For more information head to the Bicycle Hotel & Casino’s official website.

The Bicycle Hotel & Casino (commonly, 'The Bike') is a pokercardroom in California.^[1]

Founded by George Hardie Sr. in 1984, located in Bell Gardens, California, The Bicycle Casino offers a selection of poker games and Asian games, with a wide range of limits. The casino features games including: Blackjack, Texas Hold 'Em, Seven Card Stud, Omaha hold 'em, Mexican Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker and Baccarat (card game).

Financing to build the original Bicycle Club casino was provided by Sam Gilbert, who allegedly used money partially obtained from laundering drug money.^[2] The casino is home to the Legends of Poker, a tournament series established in 1995 that now includes a stop on the World Poker Tour. Prior to the Legends, the casino's main tournament series was called the Diamond Jim Brady.^[3]

Seizure and indictment[edit]

In 1987, Sam Gilbert was the subject of a federal investigation into money laundering and racketeering charges. According to the investigation, a scheme to launder the money received from smuggling marijuana was put together to finance the construction of the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, California.^[2][4] According to one criminal complaint,

'[Sam Gilbert] a wealthy Los Angeles businessman, was the first Gilbert to establish ties with the Kramer family when he befriended Benjamin Kramer's father, Jack Kramer, in 1978. At that time, Jack Kramer and Sam Gilbert came up with the idea of building a legal card club for the purposes of laundering Benjamin Kramer's dirty money. By 1983, Sam Gilbert was in contact with David Pierson, who was himself thinking of building a card club and was looking for legitimate investors. Pierson gave Sam Gilbert a prospectus, Sam liked what he saw, and Sam agreed to arrange the financing for the project in return for a sixty percent share of Pierson's ownership interest in the Club.'^[5]

Gilbert was indicted in Miami 4 days after his death.^[6] His son Michael also was indicted.

The U.S. Government seized the casino in April, 1990, after a jury found that $12 million of the $22 million used in its construction came from Florida drug smugglers.^[7] The club's profits were frozen and placed in a special U.S. Marshals account until the court held a civil hearing to determine which partners knew that the club was built with drug money.

George Hardie and The Park Place Associates ownership were exonerated in 1990, and they regained their 35% stake.^[8]

In July 1991 a Florida federal judge ruled that at least one of the partners, former Los Angeles Westside banker M. Dale Lyon, knew about the club's financing. Eight other partners in the LCP Associates, the partnership named for Lyon, Coyne and Pierson, agreed to forfeit portions of their interest in the club before the civil hearing began. LCP partners Julianne Coyne and former California Assemblyman David C. Pierson settled before the civil hearing. In 1991, they agreed to give up about half of their interest in LCP, which had a 65% stake in the casino.^[7]

By the time it sold its share of the casino in 1996, the US government had made tens of millions of dollars in profit from its share of the casino. As a partner in the club, the government also contributed to political campaigns to defeat the proposal to build a rival card club in Orange County.^[9]

2017 raid[edit]

The casino was again raided by federal authorities citing money laundering as a part of an ongoing investigation into some players using the casino to exchange “dirty money” for chips, then turn cashing those in for “clean money.”^[10]

The Bike Casino Reopening

Live at the Bike[edit]

The Bicycle Hotel & Casino was the first brick and mortar casino to broadcast a live poker cash game over the Internet in a program known as Live at the Bike.^[11] It runs five nights a week, and features poker pros, celebrities and regular cash grinders. The show has always had card graphics and professional commentary making it one of the longest running poker shows ever.

Expansion[edit]

The Bicycle Hotel & Casino underwent a major hotel expansion in the Fall of 2015. The new seven-story, 117,907 square-foot complex now includes live entertainment, gaming, cocktail lounge, brewery, fitness center, sundeck with an outdoor bar, and a number of places to dine.^[12]

In popular media[edit]

The Bike Casino Poker Room

The Bicycle Casino was featured in an episode of the TV series Numb3rs dealing with the murder of a successful card-counter, who coincidentally was also heavily into bicycle home repair.^[13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'The Bicycle Hotel & Casino'.
2. ^ ^abGLENN F. BUNTING and TINA GRIEGO - Miami Trial Gives Startling New Portrait of Sam Gilbert. Los Angeles Times, April 23, 1990
3. ^'Bicycle Casino Review - The Bike'.
4. ^GLENN F. BUNTING. Investors Face High-Stakes Battle for Casino Profits. Los Angeles Times, May 29, 1990
5. ^44 F3d 888 United States of America v. Michael Gilbert244 F.3d 888 (11th Cir. 2001)
6. ^WILLIAM OVEREND and WILLIAM NOTTINGHAM - Sports Figure Is Indicted--4 Days After Death. Los Angeles Times, November 26, 1987
7. ^ ^abGriego, Tina. Forfeiture Laws Give U.S. a Piece of a Casino : Narcotics: Government now owns about 30% of Bicycle Club in Bell Gardens, which was built to a large extent with smuggled drug money. Los Angeles Times, August 22, 1990
8. ^Griego, Tina. Court Clears Casino Manager and Partners : George G. Hardie and his financial partners will regain ownership rights to the profitable Bicycle Club in Bell Gardens. Los Angeles Times, October 04, 1990
9. ^U.S. to Sell Share of Bicycle Casino for $25 Million
10. ^KTLA.com: Bicycle Hotel and Casino in Bell Gardens Raided by Federal Authorities
11. ^LA Times: Building a $1-million poker game for 'Live at the Bike'
12. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2015-02-24. Retrieved 2015-03-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
13. ^'Double Down'. 13 January 2006 – via IMDb.

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 33°57′59″N118°09′58″W / 33.966312°N 118.166148°W