Odessa City Council agree on more regulations on game rooms

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) -Today the City Council agreed in favor of putting more regulations on game rooms in Odessa.

Game rooms have been an issue for some Odessans, but today the City Council put new regulations on game rooms.

One requires game rooms to operate only during specific hours.

Game rooms will not be able operate within a thousand feet of each other, and they will not be able to tint or cover their windows.

The Mayor of Odessa, Javier Joven, proposed another ordinance on these game rooms.

“What I asked the council for today, is to support going forward an ordinance that would stop the permitting of any new game rooms,” Joven said.

The new ordinance would also not allow any current game rooms that have a permit, to renew its permit.

The city’s legal team were asked to draw up two more ordinances for the coming meetings.

The city of Odessa is looking to follow in the foot steps of what Pecos did in 2018, and eliminate all game rooms in Odessa.

“And then they had an ordinance that basically said that at this point on, once your renewal comes up, you’re not allowed to re-permit. It’s illegal to have a game room in Pecos,” Senior Assistant City Attorney Dan Jones said.

Mayor Joven says these game rooms should be illegal.

“Do they contribute to our community in a sense that they are bringing business sales tax in, this is cash business. Not one of those game rooms can we pinpoint that they are paying sales tax. We can’t even pinpoint one check,” Joven said.

One of the concerns the city council worry about is the possibility of the city being sued by the game rooms.

However, Mayor Joven says that the city will not rollover for anyone.