Lawmakers pass bill limiting race track casinos
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I’M JULIE CORNELL. I’M ROB MCCARTNEY VOTERS APPROVED EXPANDED CASOIN GAMBLING AT HORSE RACING TRACKS OF 2020. TODAY’S BILL ALLOWS THE SIX CURRENT HORSE TRACKS ACROSS THE STATE TO GET IT GOING RHTIG OUT OF THE GATE, BUT IT’S KETV NEWS WATCH 7’S ANDREW OZAKI REPTSOR NEW LIKTHE E ONE PROPOSED AT BELL. DOWNS ARE LEFT IN THE STABLE FOR NOW. CONSTRTIUCON IS ALREADY UNDERWAY AT THE LINCOLN RACE TRACK ALL OF THEOS GONE AND SO WE’RE VASTLY EXPANDING THE AREA LYNN MCNALLY OF THE NEBRASKA HORSEMAN SSAY THEY HOPE TO HAVE 400 SLOT MACHINES UP AND RUNNGNI BY LATE SUMMER OR FALL LAWMAKERS GIVING FINAL APPROVAL TO LB 876 MESAK IT ONE STEP CLOSER. IT ALLOWS US TO PAVE THE WAY FOR WHOLE NEW INDUSTRY YOU’VE SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR THE MEASURE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF LIVE RACE DAYS I A TRACK HAS TO CONDUCT AND IT ESSENTIALLY PLACES AOR MATORIUM ON NEW TRACKS KEEPING THE NUMBER OF ALLOWED TO THE ORIGINAL SIX TRACKS UNTIL AN IMPACT STUDY CAN BE DONE FOR ANY NEW FACILITY. THE STUDY WOULD NDEE TO BE COMPLETED BY 2025 OPPONENTS OF EXPANDED GAMBLING APPLAUD THE ADDED REQUIREMENTS, SWEO DON’T WANT TO SEE CASINOS ALL ACROSS OUR STATE AND THAT’S WHY THIS BILL THAT WAS PASSED IS SO IMPORTANT TO HELP LIMIT. HOW MANY CASOIN AND HOW MUCH HARM CAN DOWN BY CASINOS IN OUR STATE IT CLDOU GIVE EXISTING TRACKS LIKE AKSARBEN AND LINCOLN A 2 YEAR HEAD START OVER ANY NEW FACITILIES LIKE THE QUARTER HORSE TRACK PROPOSING BELLEVUE MY JOB I FEEL RIGHT NOW IS TO MAKE SURE THAT MORATORIUM AND THAT STUDY MOVES ALONG AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THE DEVELOPER OF BELLEVUE DOWNS. JOHN HASSETT SAYS PASSAGE OF THE BILL IS GOOD NEWS TELLING KTV NEWS WATCH SEVEN QUOTE. IT SETS US BACK BUT DOE'S’T ELIMINATE US. THE ORIGINAL BILL WOULD HAVE PUT A 50 MILE BUFRFE ZONE ARODUN EXISTING FACILITIES. WE MOST DEFINITELY DID NOT MCNALLY HOPES THE GOVERNOR WILL ALSO APPROVE THE RULES AND REGUL. SO THEY CAN GET THEIR EXPANDED GANGMI LICENSE TO REALLY DO DESTINATION LOCATIONS IN LINCOLN AND OMAHA AND ALLOW US TO RECAPTURE THAT LOST REVENUE FOR WAIO
State senators send the plan to regulate race track casinos across the finish line on a 38 to 3 vote.Voters approved expanding casino gambling at horse racing tracks in November 2020LB 876 allows the six current horse tracks across the state to get it going right out of the gate.But new tracks like the one proposed in Bellevue have to stay in the stable for now."This is a huge day for horseman and for Ho-Chunk," said Lynne McNally, executive vice-president of the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association The horsemen and Ho-Chunk Inc. sponsored the petition drive to allow casino gaming at horse tracks.Construction is already underway at the Lincoln Race Track."All of those walls will be gone. And so we're vastly expanding the area and that will all be gaming space a beautiful restaurant," McNally said. McNally hopes to have 400 slot machines up and running by late summer or fall. "That will be a prelude to the full operations," McNally said.She said with the passage of LB 876, they are one step closer."It allows us to pave the way for a whole new industry," McNally said.If signed by the governor, the measure increases the number of live race days and races a track has to conduct to maintain its license.It essentially places a moratorium on a new track — keeping the number allowed to the original six tracks until an impact study can be done for any new facility.The study would need to be done by 2025."This is going to limit the unfettered expansion of gaming in Nebraska, which is what we've wanted all along," McNally said.Opponents of expanded gambling also applaud the added requirements. "We don't want to see casinos all across our state. And that's why this bill that was passed is so important to help limit how many casinos and how much harm can be done by casinos in our state," said Nebraska Family Alliance Policy Director Nate Grasz.It could give existing tracks like Horseman's Park in Omaha and Lincoln Race Track a two-year head start over any new facilities like the quarter-horse track proposed in Bellevue. State Sen. Rita Sanders, who represents Bellevue said she was disappointed."My job I feel right now is to make sure that moratorium and that study moves along as quickly as possible so we can all get back to work. And I think that's going to be the important piece for Bellevue," Sanders said. Belle Vue Downs' developer, John Hassett said passage of the bill was good news.He told KETV Newswatch 7, "It sets us back but doesn't eliminate us."The original bill would have put a 50-mile buffer zone around existing facilities.Hassett called it a compromise.McNally hopes the governor will also approve the rules and regulations so they can get an expanded gaming license."To really do destination locations in Lincoln and Omaha and allow us to recapture that lost revenue from Iowa," McNally said.McNally said transitional slot machines may still be a year away at Horseman's Park.She hopes full WarHorse gaming facilities in Lincoln and Omaha can be built within a couple of years.
State senators send the plan to regulate race track casinos across the finish line on a 38 to 3 vote.
Voters approved expanding casino gambling at horse racing tracks in November 2020
LB 876 allows the six current horse tracks across the state to get it going right out of the gate.
But new tracks like the one proposed in Bellevue have to stay in the stable for now.
"This is a huge day for horseman and for Ho-Chunk," said Lynne McNally, executive vice-president of the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association
The horsemen and Ho-Chunk Inc. sponsored the petition drive to allow casino gaming at horse tracks.
Construction is already underway at the Lincoln Race Track.
"All of those walls will be gone. And so we're vastly expanding the area and that will all be gaming space a beautiful restaurant," McNally said.
McNally hopes to have 400 slot machines up and running by late summer or fall.
"That will be a prelude to the full operations," McNally said.
She said with the passage of LB 876, they are one step closer.
"It allows us to pave the way for a whole new industry," McNally said.
If signed by the governor, the measure increases the number of live race days and races a track has to conduct to maintain its license.
It essentially places a moratorium on a new track — keeping the number allowed to the original six tracks until an impact study can be done for any new facility.
The study would need to be done by 2025.
"This is going to limit the unfettered expansion of gaming in Nebraska, which is what we've wanted all along," McNally said.
Opponents of expanded gambling also applaud the added requirements.
"We don't want to see casinos all across our state. And that's why this bill that was passed is so important to help limit how many casinos and how much harm can be done by casinos in our state," said Nebraska Family Alliance Policy Director Nate Grasz.
It could give existing tracks like Horseman's Park in Omaha and Lincoln Race Track a two-year head start over any new facilities like the quarter-horse track proposed in Bellevue.
State Sen. Rita Sanders, who represents Bellevue said she was disappointed.
"My job I feel right now is to make sure that moratorium and that study moves along as quickly as possible so we can all get back to work. And I think that's going to be the important piece for Bellevue," Sanders said.
Belle Vue Downs' developer, John Hassett said passage of the bill was good news.
He told KETV Newswatch 7, "It sets us back but doesn't eliminate us."
The original bill would have put a 50-mile buffer zone around existing facilities.
Hassett called it a compromise.
McNally hopes the governor will also approve the rules and regulations so they can get an expanded gaming license.
"To really do destination locations in Lincoln and Omaha and allow us to recapture that lost revenue from Iowa," McNally said.
McNally said transitional slot machines may still be a year away at Horseman's Park.
She hopes full WarHorse gaming facilities in Lincoln and Omaha can be built within a couple of years.
