Indio, CA: A fire started in the liquor storage room of the Cantina bar around 9:20 am this morning. Tony Gregg, the Club’s announcer, was having breakfast at the Cantina when he noticed smoke was coming under the door of the storage room and he called 911. Five fire engines arrived with a crew of 24 firefighters. The fire was contained very quickly. No one was injured.

While the fire seemed to be contained in the storage area, the heat and smoke damaged a lot of the décor, appliances, floor and walls inside the building. California Fire Engineer, Paul Brown, estimated the damage to be around $150,000 in an article written on The Desert Sun’s Web site http:www.MyDesert.com.

The fire was contained in the liquor storage room.

Smoke and water damage can be seen throughout the bar and restaurant area.

Last fall, the Cantina was redecorated by individuals from the polo community, who donated old tack, jerseys, equipment and photos in an effort to restore some of the Club’s history. While the damage may seem great in terms of money, the Cantina’s spirit is still intact. Many of the photos did not burn and some of the memorabilia can be cleaned up and used again if the Cantina is once again refurbished. The Club has not issued a statement on what their plans are at this time.

The Cantina was originally built in 1981. It was and still is a favorite hang out and watering hole of club members and polo fans. If those walls could talk . . . I can only imagine the stories and business that took place there over the past 28 years.

Several polo players stopped at the Cantina after the fire and took in the scene in silence. I imagined their minds were remembering in quick flashbacks, the many good times they had experienced at the Cantina.

“It is so sad,” one player said. “The Cantina has so much history and it was just starting to get popular again.”

Among the items that were saved are the old photo murals that were part of the Cantina’s original décor. They had been removed over the summer and were being restored for placement in the polo office.

The restaurant/bar will be moved to the Clubhouse and we will keep you posted on when they are scheduled to open for daily food/bar service. The Cantina will be closed until the damage is repaired.

Polo will continue as usual. The Cantina parties will be moved up to the Clubhouse. Their next party is the Super Bowl and Western Party on February 1st. There will be a BBQ and a live western band.

What was left of the inventory.

The ceiling in the ladies bathroom.

Firestarter Vodka ironically stood out in the pile of damaged liquor inventory.