AROUND 1985 OR SO ... I WAS ON A WEEKEND VACATION IN PALM SPRINGS, CA. I GO BORED SITTING AROUND THE POOL AND ASKED THE WIFE TO GO EXPLORING THE SALTON SEA WITH ME ... SHE SAID HELL NO! ... THE PLACE WAS AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER AND IT WAS 110 DEGREES THAT DAY ... SO I PUT THE TOP DOWN ON MY CONVERTIBLE AND HEADED SOUTH EAST TOWARDS THE MEXICO BORDER AND THE SALTON SEA. AS I DROVE AROUND THIS GIANT SALTY LAKE YOU COULD SMELL IN THE AIR ... DEAD FISH AND BIRDS ALL FLOATING AT THE SHORE. I COULD NOT BELIEVE SOME FOLKS WERE ACTUALLY FISHING FOR A SMALL FISH CALLED A CORVINA? YUKS! .... I PASSED A TOWN CALLED BOMBAY ... AND STOPPED IN A TOWN CALLED NILAND. I WALKED IN THE NILAND CLUB CAFE SPORTS BAR AND HAD A COLD BEER. I MET THE OLD LADY OWNER WHO WAS TENDING THE BAR AND SHE GAVE ME ALL THE HISTORY OF THE SALTON SEA AREA AND HER CAFE BAR AND GUEST ROOMS IN THE REAR. IN THE OLD DAYS SHE CATERED TO THE SNOWBIRD CROWDS AND THE HUNTERS WHO CAME DOWN FOR THE WINTER SEASON. SHE GAVE ME A GREAT TOUR OF THE PLACE, BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO SELL $$$ AND RETIRE. I HAD NO IDEA, BUT SHE HAD A GAMING LICENSE FOR 2 POKER TABLES, A CABERET LICENSE FOR DANCING AND LIVE MUSIC, A PACKAGE GOODS LICENSE FOR BOTTLE LIQUOR SALES, AND A CAFE LICENSE AND A LODGING LICENSE ... ALL FOR SALE FOR ABOUT $150K. BAD PART OF IT ALL .. YOU HAVE TO LIVE THERE! I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE 2 POKER TABLES SITTING THERE EMPTY, SHE SAID THAT THEY WOULD OPEN ONE OR TWO ON WEEKENDS DURING THE WINTER BUSY SEASON ... SHE WAS NOT GOING TO RE-NEW HER... IMPERIAL COUNTY, CA. GAMING LICENSE NEXT YEAR ... IT COST HER TOO MUCH AND NOT ENOUGH POKER ACTION ... THE INDIAN CASINOS WERE GETTING STARTED IN PALM SPRINGS AREA. SHE OPENED A CLOSET DOOR AND ON THE BACK ON THE DOOR WAS A NEAT WOODEN RACK MADE TO STORE THE POKER CHIPS, CARDS, AND TABLE BRUSH ... ON THE RACK IT READ ... THE MASON COMPANY, CHICAGO, ILL. BOY I WANTED IT BAD! IT HAD ABOUT 1000 CHIPS STORED ... SHE SAID IT GOES WITH THE SALE OF THE BUSINESS ... SHE DID SELL ME 2 LARGE CROWN T.R. KING CHIPS THAT WERE HOT STAMPED ... $1 AND A $5 CHIP ...THEY ARE SOME WHERE IN MY COLLECTION ... THIS OLD CAFE SPORTS BAR IS NOT IN THE CALIFORNIA CHIP GUIDE AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS VISITED THIS PLACE OR HAS SOME INFORMATION ABOUT IT. I DID SEE ALL OF THE LICENSES ON THE WALL ... I HAVE INCLUDED A BUNCH OF OLD POSTCARDS AND PHOTOS FROM THE BOOM DAYS AND BAD DAYS AT SALTON SEA .... YOUR COMMENTS ARE MOST WELCOME .... THANKS FOR READING MY POST ... RICH BURGEL