Starting next week, gamblers in Nebraska looking to try their luck playing slot machines will have more options.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission on Wednesday voted to approve an operating license for a temporary casino at Grand Island's Fonner Park horse racing track, making it the state's second licensed casino since voters approved expanded gambling at horse tracks in 2020.
Fonner Park and its partner, Elite Casino Resorts, announced shortly after Wednesday's meeting that the casino will open at noon Tuesday, shortly after a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“I thank the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission for their leadership and diligence in the process and approval of our application and look forward to a long future between Elite Casino Resorts, Fonner Park and Grand Island," Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts, said in a news release.
The temporary casino will be located in the concourse of Fonner Park adjacent to the Van Berg Family Collection and Nebraska Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame displays.
It will have approximately 300 slot machines, along with horse betting kiosks and a snack bar.
Unlike the Lincoln casino, however, the Grand Island casino will not be open around the clock. Its operating hours are 8 a.m.-midnight Sunday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
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WarHorse's Lincoln casino, in its first 10 weeks of operation, generated nearly $10 million in revenue, resulting in almost $2 million in taxes paid to state, county and local governments.
Construction on the permanent Grand Island Casino Resort, which will have 650 slot machines, 20 table games, a sports book, restaurants, a hotel and other amenities, will start in the fall after next year's Nebraska State Fair.
Temporary casinos also are planned in Omaha, where WarHorse is developing another casino, and in Columbus, where Caesars Entertainment is partnering on a project.
The temporary Omaha casino likely won't open until late spring or summer.
Caesar's wants to open a temporary casino with 250 slot machines as soon as possible at the existing horse track at Ag Park in Columbus, but it is waiting for a ruling from the Attorney General's office on whether it can apply for a license for the temporary casino and then transfer that license to its new casino resort proposed for across town.
Columbus casino officials had hoped to learn of a decision at Wednesday's meeting, but the Attorney General's office notified the Racing and Gaming Commission that it needs more time.