Eric Persson Reacquires Eight Washington Cardrooms to Prevent Closures

Eric Persson, owner of Maverick Gaming, has agreed to reacquire eight Washington cardrooms that faced shutdown on November 30 after initial WARN notices went out, and this move comes amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings where the properties had transferred to lenders, yet the new agreement keeps operations running without interruption during the transition period that closes in roughly three weeks while preserving about 850 jobs across the facilities.

The cardrooms involved include Great American Casino in Everett along with Chip’s, Macau, and Palace casinos all located in Lakewood, plus All Star Casino in Silverdale, Casino Caribbean in Yakima, Crazy Moose Casino in Pasco, and Coyote Bobs Casino in Kennewick, and these venues had received notices under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act that signaled potential mass layoffs before the reacquisition reversed course.

Background on the Ownership Shift

Bankruptcy proceedings had placed these eight properties under lender control earlier, which triggered the WARN filings and set the November 30 closure date in motion, yet Persson stepped forward with an agreement to buy the assets back and this action directly addresses the job losses that would have affected hundreds of employees in communities throughout the state.

Operations at each location continue as normal throughout the ownership change because the deal structure allows for seamless handover without pausing gaming activities or staff schedules, and this continuity stands in contrast to the initial closure plans that had created uncertainty for workers and patrons alike.

Details of the Reacquisition Agreement

The transaction timeline calls for completion in approximately three weeks from the announcement, which aligns the final transfer with ongoing efforts to stabilize the cardrooms after their stint under lender oversight, and people familiar with the process note that this reacquisition builds on Persson's prior ownership of the Maverick Gaming portfolio that once included these same venues.

Job preservation forms the core outcome of the deal since the roughly 850 positions tied to the eight locations avoid elimination, while the avoidance of November 30 shutdowns means local economies in Everett, Lakewood, Silverdale, Yakima, Pasco, and Kennewick do not face the immediate ripple effects that mass layoffs would have produced.

Impact on Washington Gaming Landscape

These eight cardrooms represent a significant portion of the state's non-tribal gaming options, and their continued operation under the reacquired ownership maintains access for players while supporting the regulatory framework that governs cardroom licensing and operations across Washington, and data from state filings shows how such venues contribute steady employment in both urban and smaller markets.

Observers tracking the bankruptcy proceedings point out that lender involvement had introduced the closure risk, yet the return to Persson ownership reverses that trajectory and demonstrates how private agreements can resolve such situations before they reach full implementation of the WARN notices.

Regulatory and Employment Context

WARN notices serve as formal alerts under federal and state law that require advance notification for large-scale layoffs, and in this case the filings preceded the November 30 deadline before the reacquisition altered the path, while the uninterrupted operations during transition ensure compliance with gaming commission standards remains intact at every site.

Communities hosting these cardrooms stand to retain the economic activity generated by ongoing business, and the preservation of 850 jobs avoids the broader effects that closures would have triggered in areas where these venues function as notable local employers.

Conclusion

The reacquisition by Eric Persson secures the future of eight specific Washington cardrooms through a structured buyback from lenders that directly counters the earlier closure plans, and this development keeps nearly 850 positions active while maintaining normal operations across the listed locations in Everett, Lakewood, Silverdale, Yakima, Pasco, and Kennewick during the three-week transition window.