Man with casino background plans Monroe business

A casino owner from California may be planning to open a casino adjacent to the Big Easy night club in downtown Spokane.

Haig Kelegian Jr. has applied for a liquor license for the building. He has not applied for a Washington gaming license, according a spokeswoman for the Washington State Gambling Commission.

According to the liquor license application, the business at 21 S. Monroe St. would be called Marilyn’s on Monroe.

Kelegian and his partners own Oceans Eleven casino in Oceanside, Calif., and Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, which the Los Angeles Times called “one of the leading poker clubs in the state.” Oceans Eleven also is a card-room-style casino.

Contacted in California, Kelegian would not elaborate on his plans.

Steve Schmedding from Western United Life Insurance, which owns the block with the exception of the Metropolitan Performing Arts Center, said plans had not been finalized. He declined to comment further.

Kelegian and other nontribal California casino owners are sponsoring an initiative they say is needed to help them compete with tribal casinos. The measure, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, would allow nontribal casinos and racetracks to add 30,000 slot machines if tribes refuse to pay 25 percent of their net winnings to local law enforcement, fire departments and disadvantaged children’s programs.

A similar initiative will be on the November ballot in Washington. It would allow nontribal businesses, such as bars, bowling alleys and cardrooms, to have the same slot-style gambling machines now allowed only at Indian casinos.