Warhorse officials hope to set up Lincoln casino in mid-September, delays in Omaha

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Warhorse officials hope to set up Lincoln casino in mid-September, delays in Omaha
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OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Slot machines in Lincoln could start spinning in about a month.

Warhorse Casino officials are hoping to set up around 400 slot machines around mid-September for a temporary setup while construction continues.

But things won’t happen as fast. Casino gambling in Omaha will have to wait until Q Street grows wider.

Right now, Q Street around the arearuns one lane each way and barely handles day-to-day traffic. More room will be needed when the casino opens.

“It’s being widened as well and I believe they’re putting in a turning lane I do know they’re also requiring that we have turning lane access off of 72nd Street so construction goes all the way down to 72nd,” said Lynne McNally, CEO of Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

Construction to make those changes will begin next week. Work will be on and off along Q Street for about a year.

“The building that we own in Omaha is almost 30 years old the building that we own in Lincoln is seven years old so that’s why we had to do very little to Lincoln, to be able to get temporary operations going in Omaha, however, we have to gut the entire building and basically renovate and make everything brand new,” said McNally.

There will be growing pains, with the year-long project, owners of Winchester Bar & Grill say the construction will disrupt the natural flow of traffic and will disrupt business. But they add when it’s complete the improvements will be a good thing.

Warhorse Casino officials say they will work hard to be good neighbors, to businesses and homeowners in the area.

“There will be access in and out it will be limited and you know traffic will probably not be great at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. but you will have access to the property at that time and other businesses on the street as well. The street improvements are going to help everybody for years and years to come, these street improvements are long overdue,” said McNally.

Road improvements will take place on Q Street between 60th and 72nd.

Warhorse officials say they will pay off the cost of the street improvements.