Nebraska's WarHorse Casino Omaha Gears Up for Grand August Opening with Wide Array of Gaming Options

The echoing rumba of slot machines and the anticipation-laden hush of betting tables are to be expected at WarHorse Casino Omaha at Horsemen’s Park. This newly minted gaming jewel nestled in the heart of Nebraska is set to throw open its doors with an inaugural flourish in August. All the plans are moving at full tilt, awaiting a thumbs-up nod from the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission (NRGC).

WarHorse Gaming, an enterprise ensconced within Ho-Chunk, Inc., the commercial arm of the Winnebago Tribe, is at the helm of erecting this permanent casino haven in Omaha. The grand opening is keyed up for the 6th of August.

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Upon its grand unveiling, WarHorse Omaha aims to ensnare the gaming enthusiasts with its elaborate offerings—a vista of 800 slot machines, a palette of 20 table games, a sportsbook, and a simulated parimutuel wagering experience. Constructed with an investment of approximately $250 million, the facility is to include a restaurant, a bar, and a spacious parking garage.

Locals and visitors will find this new establishment at 6303 Q Street. The future blueprint of WarHorse Omaha envisages additional gaming floor space, an outdoor gaming patio complete with smoking permissions, and a boutique 200-room hotel.

In the 2020 referendum, Nebraska residents punched their approval for horse racetracks to transmogrify into fully functional casinos, incorporating slot machines, table games, and sportsbooks. Complying with the state’s Clean Indoor Act, admitted indoor smoking will be significantly curtailed within the expansive casino premises.

Once the 2020 vote was in the bag, WarHorse Gaming found a bonafide partner in the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) to transform the racetracks into state-of-the-art casinos. Concurrently, the partners embarked on building a formidable casino at the association’s Lincoln Race Course.

Another pet project of WarHorse Gaming, WarHorse Casino Lincoln, is also set to welcome gamers this fall. Sporting a comparatively smaller outlay of 430 slots, sports betting options, and parimutuel wagering, Lincoln will differentiate itself by unveiling a 220-room hotel and an events center alongside. A fine-dining steakhouse will be an added attraction of the venue.

In its adherence to the referendum’s clauses, Horsemen’s Park will host a single day of live racing on September 29, 2024. The Lincoln Race Course, rechristened as Legacy Downs at WarHorse Casino Lincoln, will feature four days of gripping racing action on September 20, 21, 27, and 28.

Meanwhile, the invested partners also have their sights set on refurbishing the mothballed Atokad Downs in South Sioux City into a full-fledged casino with live racing action. The duo aims to elevate the number of live racing dates once the construction dust settles on the casinos.

Since taking control of a temporary gaming facility in Lincoln on September 24, 2022, WarHorse has seen significant success. WarHorse Lincoln raked in gross gaming revenue of a staggering $51.5 million last year. This figure outpaced the earnings of the state’s three provisional casinos in 2023. In another show of prowess, WarHorse Omaha opened a temporary sportsbook last November and harvested a healthy revenue of $224K by the year’s end.

In an unprecedented turn of events, Caesars Entertainment inaugurated Nebraska’s first permanent casino, Harrah’s Columbus, NE, in May. A $100 million enterprise, it extended the invite to eager gamers on May 17 with 400 slots, hushed 11 live dealer table games, and a Caesars Race & Sportsbook. Marriott has unveiled two adjacent hotels, preparing to extend their warm hospitality to overnight guests.