Nebraska Regulators Approve License Transfer for New Ogallala Racetrack and Casino
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission (NRGC) recently voted unanimously to approve a request to transfer a horse racetrack license from Hastings to a new facility in Ogallala. The request was made by Brian Becker, owner of Hastings Exposition and Racing, Inc. The decision will allow Becker to relocate his state-issued horse racing license from Fairplay Park to a new racetrack in Ogallala, approximately 200 miles west.
Becker has partnered with Iowa-based Elite Casino Resorts to develop a new quarter horse racetrack and casino resort near Lake McConaughy. The $100 million project, named Lake Mac Casino Resort & Racetrack, is planned for a 178-acre site near Interstate 80 and Highway 26.
Nebraska’s Casino Expansion
In 2020, Nebraskans voted in favor of a statewide ballot referendum that legalized commercial casino gambling at the state’s six horse racetracks, also allowing in-person sports betting. While Hastings is still slightly east of Nebraska’s center, Fairplay Park has traditionally been the westernmost horse racetrack among the six facilities.
Understanding potential gaming saturation concerns, the 2020 casino referendum provided racetrack owners a one-time opportunity to relocate their racing license to a more favorable market. The conditions for this relocation included constructing a new racetrack, conducting live racing, and gaining local government support.
Initially, Becker partnered with the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma to build and operate a casino in Hastings. However, after the Hastings City Council objected to the casino, Becker found a new partner in Elite Casino Resorts. Elite is also collaborating with the Hall County Livestock Improvement Association to transform Fonner Park into Grand Island Casino Resort. A temporary casino has been operating inside the track’s grandstand since December 2022, with the permanent resort set to open next year.
Given Hastings’ proximity to Fonner Park, Elite and Becker decided that Ogallala would be a more profitable location for a new casino. The area’s popular Lake McConaughy, with its 30,000-acre state park, is a major summertime vacation destination, offering the new casino reduced competition.
Plans for Lake Mac Casino Resort & Racetrack
“We are thrilled to bring a first-class resort, grow out-of-state tourism, add jobs, and invest $100 million into Ogallala and Western Nebraska,” said Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts.
In their 7-0 vote approving Fairplay Park’s license transfer from Hastings to Ogallala, NRGC commissioners expressed enthusiasm for expanding the state’s horse racing industry westward.
“Fonner Park and Hastings had been our western frontier. We’re going to move that hundreds of miles to the west,” commented Dennis Lee, the chair of the NRGC. “Ogallala really has a unique opportunity to open racing and gaming to Western Nebraska.”
The proposed Lake Mac Casino Resort includes a 37,000-square-foot casino floor with 650 slot machines, 14 live dealer table games, and a sportsbook. Additional amenities will feature a 180-room hotel, a convention center, multiple food and beverage offerings, a rooftop restaurant, an RV lot, and an expansive truck stop and travel center.
WarHorse Casino Omaha Opening Soon
During their Friday meeting, the NRGC also approved the opening of WarHorse Casino Omaha on August 6. This new casino, located at Horsemen’s Park, is a collaboration between the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and WarHorse Gaming, a subsidiary of the Ho-Chunk, Inc., the commercial business arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
WarHorse Omaha will launch with 800 slot machines, 20 table games, and a sportsbook, along with an on-site restaurant and bar, ready to welcome guests.
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