It’s a date that many poker players will already have been looking forward to, given it marks the start of the 2026 World Series of Poker.
Now players in the Austin area have another reason to mark the date in their calendars.
The news was confirmed via a social post this week.
Doors will open at 9am
The March 10 raid on the club, co-owned by prominent players and poker content creators Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen (pictured above), was driven by suspicions around illegal gambling and money laundering, and led to the immediate closure of The Lodge.
As a result, club staff lost their jobs and business assets — including player funds — were seized.
The case then went before a Grand Jury in Williamson County in late April, who refused to authorize the state’s proposed charges and declined to indict.
That decision released the seized and frozen assets and freed The Lodge to reopen, once it had re-hired staff and made the necessary preparations to get back to business.
With a reopening date of May 26 at 9am now confirmed, those preparations appear to be well underway.
The Lodge has announced a new rewards program for returning staff and a new on-site restaurant, while players can expect some celebratory events this summer to mark the good news — details to be confirmed.
