NC Rotary hears update on Omaha, Lincoln casinos
$5,000 Welcome Bonus
In about two years’ time, Nebraskans who enjoy the casino experience will be able to stay within the state to take advantage of the new WarHorse Gaming LLC casinos in Lincoln and Omaha.
Pete Graziano, director of marketing for WarHorse Gaming LLC, visited the Nebraska City Rotary Club June 29 to provide club members with an update on casino construction at the two locations.
Ho-Chunk Inc. partnered with the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association to build the two casino projects, said Graziano.
Current plans call for existing buildings at Horsemen’s Park in Omaha and the Lincoln Race Course in Lincoln to be used as interim casino facilities while the projects are finalized around them, said Graziano.
The complete Omaha facility will offer 1,200 slot machines, 25 to 30 gaming tables, a sports book, dining opportunities, and a rooftop terrace that provides racegoers with a new vantage point for watching races, he said, adding that the rooftop terrace was one of the most-commented-on amenities from focus groups brought in to discuss the project.
The existing building in Omaha will be gutted and renovated, with the plan of opening it with about 800 slot machines available for customers in mid-2023, said Graziano.
“This will be new, fresh, up-to-date gaming,” he said, “which will compare favorably with Council Bluffs.” Before joining WarHorse Gaming, Graziano worked for Caesars.
Graziano said all indoor facilities in both casinos will be smoke-free, but that substantial outdoor gaming opportunities will be provided for gamblers who enjoy smoking while they game.
Plans call for the interim Lincoln casino to open with about 200 slot machines and limited food offerings, said Graziano. He added that a 200-room hotel is also being built at the Lincoln casino site.
Both the Omaha and the Lincoln sites have provisional casino licenses, said Robert Moser of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Provisional licenses mean that Ho-Chunk Inc. may secure project financing and the construction projects can begin, said Moser, but gaming machines cannot yet be turned on.
Moser added that the Horsemen’s Association owns the tracks and the land on which the casinos are being built, and the organization will collect rent from War-Horse Gaming LLC for the use of the land by the casinos.
According to Moser, the live racing calendar in Lincoln and at other racetracks in the state will be expanded as the casino projects are completed. He anticipates a 100-day-plus racing season in Lincoln, and expanded racing calendars at the state’s other tracks.
Graziano said gambling revenues will be taxed by the state of Nebraska, and 70 percent of those taxes have been earmarked for property tax relief.
The Nebraska City Rotary Club meets at noon Wednesday at Valentino’s, 1710 S. 11th. Guests pay $9 for lunch.
Scheduled speaker for tomorrow (July 6) will be Otoe County Roads Superintendent Jon Brinkman, who will discuss how bridges in the county are selected for repair.
Cole Sharp is the club president. Call (402) 873-0530 for more information.
