The city council finds the following facts: (1) That that portion of the city south of 8th Street and bounded by Washington and Broadway currently is devoted principally to uses which depend largely upon licensed cardrooms as trade stimulants; (2) That this is the oldest part of the city, contains many historic structures and is an area, in relation to other zones and uses, which should and can develop as a commercial area providing a diversity of uses such as stores, office buildings and high density residential uses; (3) That to so develop, significant investment of public and private funds in the area is necessary, the city council intends to there make significant investments in public facilities and amenities, all consistent with the area’s future as a commercial, office and residential area, and consistent with present and anticipated development of adjacent areas; (4) That the private investments needed for its development as a commercial, office and high-density residential area cannot occur if cardroom gambling continues to be a major use therein; (5) That state law (RCW 9.46.295) allows the city to prohibit commercial card games; however, to do so it must prohibit all such commercial card games; (6) That council believes it would be unfair to prohibit such card games immediately without giving a reasonable time to owners of licensed gambling establishments to make plans for alterative uses for their properties; (7) Notice was given licensees by council in mid-1982 that it would by ordinance prohibit such card games, and it now finds, after public hearings, that to prohibit such card games by an ordinance to be effective in thirty days, but to allow present licensees to remain in operation through 1984, would give licensees a reasonable time to phase out cardrooms and make plans to convert their properties to other uses; (8) Council presently expects to pay all 1983 and 1984 gambling revenues (except those necessary to enforce gambling laws and to provide for audits and inspections) into the capital improvement fund in a special account to be used for public improvements in the area south of 8th Street, which improvements are expected to increase land values therein and to allow for the area’s development as a commercial, office and high density residential area. (Ord. M-2366 §1, 1983)