Molly Ashford
Omaha World-Herald
Developers behind a plan to transform Omaha's Horsemen's Park into one of Nebraska's first casinos are counting on the city to pony up $17.5 million in tax incentives to bring the project over the finish line.
If all goes as planned, gamblers could hit the jackpot as soon as next spring in Omaha.
WarHorse Gaming — a subsidiary of Ho-Chunk Inc., the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska — intends to break ground this summer on what it calls a “dynamic casino, racing and entertainment complex†at the current site of Horsemen’s Park near 63rd and Q streets.
The plan involves significant renovations to the existing complex as well as nearly 67,000 square feet in new construction and expansion, according to documents submitted to the City of Omaha last year.
The expansive facility will hold gambling tables and more than 1,200 gaming machines, as well as live and simulcast racing. There are also plans for a live entertainment stage, multiple bars, a food hall and a coffee shop.
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Drew Niehaus, a representative for WarHorse, said he expects the groundbreaking ceremony at the Omaha location to take place sometime in mid- to late summer. When construction commences in the existing building, simulcasting will be moved to temporary trailers on the infield to continue operations.
Once renovations are complete, a transitional facility will be set up with roughly 800 gambling machines. Niehaus said the temporary casino should be ready for public use about 10 months after the groundbreaking.
Voters approved the expansion of casino gambling operations at licensed racetracks through a in 2020. But more than 18 months later, construction and renovations have yet to begin at any of the proposed locations.
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According to a tax-increment financing application submitted to the city last year, WarHorse had hoped to break ground on the Omaha facility by summer 2021 and wrap up construction by September of this year. At the time, the project was expected to cost $220 million. to fund the redevelopment at Horsemen’s Park, including more than $6 million allocated for offsite public improvements.
The delay in Omaha and across Nebraska is largely due to the mountain of regulatory work facing the state.
“The state of Nebraska is launching an entirely new industry,†Niehaus said. “Obviously there will be amendments, but they want to get it right from the get-go.â€
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission formally for casino gambling in December. Gov. Pete Ricketts , marking one of the most significant steps forward since the 2020 election.
Before construction can begin, the gaming commission must approve an application fee structure for casino operators. The commission was scheduled to vote on the fees at its May 6 meeting, but the agenda item was laid over.
Lynne McNally, executive vice president of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, that the fees are expected to be approved at a meeting on Thursday.
If fees are approved at that meeting, potential casino operators could start submitting applications the very next day. It will take a month or two for those applications to be processed, and the commission will then have to approve each application during its monthly meeting.
“It’s been a long process to get here, but we fully support the state taking its time,†Niehaus said.
Top Journal Star photos for May
Yuliia Iziumova (left) hugs her mother Oksana Iziumova Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at the Lincoln Airport. It was the first time they'd been together in more than three years. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
JAIDEN TRIPI Journal Star
Lincoln High's Javon Leuty celebrates his win in the Class A boys 110-meter hurdles Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Omaha Burke Stadium. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
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Fans run to catch a foul ball during a baseball game between Nebraska and Michigan State on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Haymarket Park. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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Lincoln High's Landon Kruse competes in the wheelchair Class A boys 800-meter race at the state track and field meet Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Omaha Burke Stadium. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
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Elkhorn North celebrates on the field after defeating Waverly in the Class B baseball championship game Friday, May 20, 2022, at Tal Anderson Field in Omaha. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Autumn LaDeaux-Baxter (left) ties poles together while saying a prayer as leaders of the NiskÃthe prayer group work to assemble a tipi during a protest outside City Hall on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. The group wants legal protections of a Native sweat lodge, which is on about 2 acres of private land surrounded by Wilderness Park and across the street from the planned Wilderness Crossing development near First Street and Pioneers Boulevard. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Fremont's Braden Taylor celebrates winning the Class A boys 3,200-meter relay at the state track and field meet Wednesday, May 18, 202, at Omaha Burke Stadium. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
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Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel plays a game of spike ball with eighth graders Hayden Tenopir (left) and Drew Van Dyke on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at Mickle Middle School. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
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Nebraska’s Jackson Brockett pitches against a Michigan State batter Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Haymarket Park. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
Josh Vinson Jr. runs with a pool noodle during the second annual Josh Fight Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Bowling Lake Park. Vinson Jr. remains the reigning champion, winning the crown for a second year. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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Lincoln Southwest's Jaida Rowe carries the team trophy after Southwest won the Class A girls team race at the state track and field meet Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Omaha Burke Stadium. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
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Millard West's Dylan Driessen collides into Millard South's Camden Kozeal while stealing second base in the first inning during the Class A championship, Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Tal Anderson Field in Omaha. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Bloomfield's Alexandra Eisenhauer (left) reacts after finishing ahead of North Platte's Hayley Miles in the Class D girls 100-meter dash at the state track and field meet on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Omaha Burke Stadium. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Teacher Maria Ramos pours milk as children aged 18 months to 3 years eat lunch at The Children's Place child care center Tuesday, May 17.Â
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Lincoln East's Garrett Springer celebrates after hitting a double against Millard West during a Class A state baseball game Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Tal Anderson Field in Omaha. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Photographer Michael Farrell gets ready to take a group photo as members prepare to tear down the NiskÃthe Prayer Camp on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
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Lincoln East's Belinda Rademacher reacts after defeating Lincoln Southeast's Camilla Ibrahimova (not pictured) in the No. 1 singles championship at the Class A girls state tennis meet Friday, May 20, 2022, at Koch Tennis Center in Omaha. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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The boys Class B 3,200-meter race enters its third lap at the state track and field meet Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Omaha Burke Stadium. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Bishop Neumann's Kamdyn Swartz reacts after winning the Class C boys 300-meter hurdles during the state track and field meet, Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Omaha Burke Stadium. Journal Star
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Lincoln Southeast’s Corynne Olsen (2) (from left) Maggie Hayes (0) and Sidney Wettlaufer (21) hold each other after placing second in the girls Class A state championship game Monday, May 16, 2022, between Lincoln Southeast and Gretna at Morrison Stadium. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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Omaha Skutt Catholic celebrates their state championship win over Norris in the girls class B state championship game on Monday, May 16, 2022, at Morrison Stadium. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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Nebraska softball players take a selfie during the Nebraska women’s softball watch party of the NCAA tournament selection show on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at Bowlin Stadium. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
JAIDEN TRIPI Journal Star
Lincoln’s Hunter Clanin (14) misses the diving catch during a game on Sunday, May 15, 2022, between Sioux Falls and Lincoln Saltdogs at Haymarket Park. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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Omaha Skutt Catholic's Dylan Toth (right) reacts to a Skutt goal as Waverly’s Austin Neddenriep watches the ball hit the back of the net during the Class B boys state soccer semifinals game on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at Morrison Stadium. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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Waverly's Eli Russell (second right) and Wyatt Fanning (second right) leap on to pitcher Payton Engle (first left) as they celebrate with their team after an upset win over Norris during a boys Class B first-round game at Warner Park on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Papillion. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Norris base runner Kale Fountain celebrates as he reaches home plate to score in the fourth inning against Waverly during a boys Class B first-round game at Warner Park on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Papillion. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Soon-to-be graduates walk through Creighton's campus outside of a girls class A semifinal game at Morrison Stadium on Friday, May 13, 2022, in Omaha. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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A bicyclist rides toward downtown on the 13th Street bike lane on Friday, May 13, 2022. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
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Goldenrod Pastries owner Angela Garbacz (left) talks with Molly Ebbers of Lincoln on Thursday, May 12, 2022. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
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Lincoln Southwest’s Alex Kosmicki (23) dribbles to the goal as Papillion-La Vista South’s Jenasy Schultz (1) goes for the save during the girls A-4 district championship game Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at Seacrest Field. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
JAIDEN TRIPI Journal Star
The Husker dugout erupts in cheers as Sydney Gray (bottom) reaches home plate after scoring the second solo home run of the fifth inning against Indiana, Sunday, May 8, 2022, at Bowlin Stadium. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Exterior of a Ford TRIPI-Motor 5-AT, seen on Thursday, May 5, 2022. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
JAIDEN TRIPI Journal Star
The Omaha Bryan boys soccer team celebrates its District A-7 boys championship win over Lincoln Southeast, Thursday, May 5, 2022, at Omaha Bryan High School. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
JAIDEN TRIPI Journal Star
Runners make their way through the final stretch of the 2022 Lincoln Marathon Sunday, May 1, 2022. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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Lincoln Southwest players celebrate the goal by Jillian Lane (third from left) with Lincoln East's Page Monson reacting in the background during the second half of a Class A girls state soccer first-round match, Monday, May 9, 2022, at Morrison Stadium in Omaha. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
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Lincoln East's Jesse Chartier (left) embraces with teammate Kayma Carpenter after losing to Lincoln Southwest in a Class A girls state soccer first-round match, Monday, May 9, 2022, at Morrison Stadium in Omaha.
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Supporters of Donald Trump blow kisses, give cheers and vie for position as Trump takes the stage during a Trump rally for Charles Herbster at the I-80 Speedway on Sunday, May 1, 2022, near Greenwood. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Lincoln Southeast's Lilly Talley (left) and doubles partner Lily Rippeteau celebrate a point in the No. 2 doubles finals of the Heartland Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at Woods Tennis Center. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
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Lincoln East's Elijah Jobst (8) blocks a shot by Lincoln Southwest's Lane Kruse (16) during a Class A boys state soccer first-round match Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at Morrison Stadium in Omaha. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
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Juju Tyner (center, in green) holds a sign in support of Roe vs. Wade as she joined others in a pro-abortion rights rally on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, on the north steps of the Capitol.Â
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Midland’s Matt Ross dives but misses the ball hit by a Doane hitter during a GPAC Tournament game Friday, May 6, 2022, in Crete. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
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A crowd of supporters cheer on Jim Pillen as he takes the stage during an election night party at the Embassy Suites, Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Lincoln. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Tim Brox fills out his voting ballot at the Redeemer Lutheran Church offices, Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Lincoln. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
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Lincoln East players celebrate as they see the district championship plaque after defeating Omaha Westside during the District A-4 baseball final at Den Hartog Field, Saturday, May 7, 2022. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Lincoln East’s Paige Poppe (13) and Columbus’ Liberty Larsen battle to head the ball during the girls A-5 district championship game, Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at Seacrest Field. JAIDEN TRIPI, Journal Star
JAIDEN TRIPI Journal Star
Crete players celebrate after a goal in the 20th minute by Osvin Garcia Velasquez (second from left) during the B-5 district championship Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Waverly. KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
This report includes material from the Lincoln Journal Star.
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