DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa casino officials worry they will lose business when several Nebraska casinos open after voters in that state approved gambling.
When casinos are built in Omaha and Lincoln, they could hurt Iowa gaming revenues, especially in Council Bluffs, where four casinos currently operate, officials contend. Other Iowa border towns with casinos include Sioux City, Onawa and Sloan.
The development of casinos in Nebraska could be another blow to Iowa casinos that are already reeling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re still trying to rebound in all the markets because of COVID-19,†said Wes Ehrecke, president of the Iowa Gaming Association. “To have something like this coming online could have a ripple effect.â€
Roughly two-thirds of Nebraska voters approved three constitutional amendments last week to legalize casinos at the state’s six licensed horse racetracks, regulate the industry and devote some of the money to a tax credit for property owners.
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Casino backers in Nebraska want to open casinos as soon as possible and then expand them to include restaurants, hotels and other amenities. Nebraska gambling supporters hope to reclaim a significant part of the roughly $500 million Nebraskans spend annually at casinos in Iowa and other states, said Michael Newlin, general manager of Horsemen’s Park in Omaha and Lincoln Race Course.
Newlin said he believes the new casinos will provide a boost to horse racing in the region because their profits will boost purses at races. The horse racing industry has been in decline for decades across the country.
“Racing will flourish and grow,†he said. “In three to five years, I think we will start seeing trainers and owners in Iowa finally come back home to Nebraska.â€
But Gary Palmer, general manager of Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona, Iowa, said he’s not convinced the new casinos will have a significant impact on horse racing.
“It could help our horse racing business. It could lead to a bigger circulation of horses in the Midwest and purses could grow,†Palmer said. “But the inventory nationwide of horses is really down. We’ll have to see how it works.â€
Election results
Lincoln and Nebraska results for the 2020 general election
Statewide contests
Party | Candidate | Vote total |
---|---|---|
President | Joseph Biden, D | 359,757 |
Jo Jorgensen, L | 19,292 | |
Donald Trump, R | 536,229 | |
U.S. Senate | Chris Janicek, D | 216,887 |
Ben Sasse, R | 562,224 | |
Gene Siadek, L | 52,878 | |
Gambling, Initiative 429 | For | 566,886 |
Against | 305,883 | |
Gambling, Initiative 430 | For | 569,201 |
Against | 307,728 | |
Gambling, Initiative 431 | For | 598,546 |
Against | 273,243 | |
Payday lending | For | 698,704 |
Against | 144,346 | |
Remove slavery wording | For | 581,058 |
Against | 271,443 | |
Extend TIF 20 years | For | 500,903 |
Against | 319,675 | |
Congressional races
Race | Candidates | Vote totals |
---|---|---|
District 1 | Kate Bolz | 116,120 |
Jeff Fortenberry, R | 179,557 | |
Dennis Grace, L | 8,452 | |
District 2 | Donald Bacon, R | 162,087 |
Kara Eastman, D | 146,992 | |
Tyler Schaeffer, L | 9,423 | |
District 3 | Mark Elworth Jr., D | 49,771 |
Dustin Hobbs, L | 10,723 | |
Adrian Smith, R | 222,363 | |
Legislature
District | Candidate | Vote totals |
---|---|---|
1 | Janet Palmtag | 5,577 |
Julie Slama | 11,899 | |
3 | Rick Holdcroft | 8,582 |
Carol Blood | 8,779 | |
5 | Mike McDonnell | 6,559 |
Gilbert Ayala | 3,777 | |
7 | Tony Vargas | 6,819 |
Jorge Sotolongo | 1,919 | |
9 | John Cavanaugh | 8,003 |
Marque Snow | 6,690 | |
11 | Fred Conley | 3,330 |
Terrell McKinney | 5,820 | |
13 | Justin T. Wayne | 11,010 |
15 | David Rogers | 6,210 |
Lynne Walz | 9,157 | |
17 | Joni Albrecht | 7,343 |
Sheryl Lindau | 3,576 | |
19 | Mike Flood | 15,200 |
21 | Mike Hilgers | 9,895 |
Brodey Weber | 8,132 | |
23 | Bruce Bostelman | 11,287 |
Helen Raikes | 6,868 | |
25 | Suzanne Geist | 16,147 |
Stephany Pleasant | 8,104 | |
27 | Brenda Bickford | 5,448 |
Anna Wishart | 9,923 | |
29 | Eliot Bostar | 10,927 |
Jacob Campbell | 9,622 | |
31 | Rich Pahls | 10,197 |
Tim Royers | 9,093 | |
33 | Steve Halloran | 12,756 |
35 | Raymond M. Aguilar | 6,570 |
Dan Quick | 5,688 | |
37 | Mercadies Damratowski | 4,098 |
John Lowe Sr. | 12,774 | |
39 | Allison Heimes | 11,457 |
Lou Ann Linehan | 14,554 | |
41 | Tom Briese | 15,804 |
43 | Tom Brewer | 10,628 |
Tanya Storer | 7,691 | |
45 | Susan Hester | 7,671 |
Rita Sanders | 8,835 | |
47 | Steve Erdman | 14,901 |
49 | Jen Day | 12,125 |
Andrew La Grone | 11,873 |
State Board of Education
District | Candidate | Vote total |
---|---|---|
1 | Patsy Koch Johns | 90,917 |
2 | Robert Anthony | 37,612 |
Lisa Fricke | 68,950 | |
3 | Patti S. Gubbels | 51,079 |
Mike Goos | 24,082 | |
4 | Jacquelyn Morrison | 50,569 |
Adrian Petrescu | 17,653 | |
SCC Board of Governors
District | Candidate | Vote totals |
---|---|---|
At-large | Timothy R. Cerveny | 81,405 |
Neal Stenberg | 82,575 | |
1 | Chuck Byers | 17,329 |
Jeanne H. Stec | 15,268 | |
2 | Kathy Boellstorff | 20,349 |
Chad Aldrich | 15,415 | |
3 | Edward C. Price | 32,588 |
4 | Kristin E. Yates | 25,167 |
5 | Arlyn Uhrmacher | 41,327 |
Lower Platte South Natural Resources District board
Subdistrict | Candidate | Vote totals |
---|---|---|
1 | Don Jacobson | 11,941 |
2 | Ron Nolte | 12,778 |
3 | Mike DeKalb | 6,243 |
Kenneth Vogel | 6,177 | |
4 | Gary R. Aldridge | 9,201 |
LeRoy W. Sievers | 9,199 | |
5 | John Yoakum | 4,402 |
Greg Osborn | 2,618 | |
6 | Anthony Schutz | 10,257 |
7 | Chelsea Johnson | 8,933 |
8 | Christine Lamberty | 7,807 |
Christy Eichorn | 4,505 | |
9 | Milt Schmidt | 4,712 |
Lisa Lewis | 7,518 | |
10 | Ray A. Stevens Jr. | 6,528 |
Bastienne Salners | 5,268 | |
Public Service Commission
Race | Candidate | Vote total |
---|---|---|
District 2 | Tim Davis, R | 53,466 |
Crystal Rhoades, D | 88,891 |
NU Board of Regents
District | Candidate | Vote totals |
---|---|---|
1 | Tim Clare | 92,526 |
2 | Jack A. Stark | 96,770 |
County board; unofficial final results
District | Candidate | Vote total |
---|---|---|
2 | Eric Underwood, R | 10,250 |
Christa Yoakum, D | 11,436 | |
4 | Roma Amundson | 25,599 |
Area ballot questions; unofficial final results
Ballot question | For | Against |
---|---|---|
Hickman pool bonds | 491 | 815 |
Hickman sales tax | 484 | 808 |
Hallam sales tax | 60 | 71 |