OMAHA — The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission approved a gaming operator license for the future WarHorse Gaming casino, racing and entertainment complex located at Horsemen’s Park in Omaha.
But the commission’s approval wasn’t unanimous Wednesday as Commissioner Jeffrey Galyen expressed numerous criticisms of the application for the complex that is owned by Ho-Chunk Inc.
Ho-Chunk CEO Lance Morgan and Nebraska Horsemen Benevolent and Protective Association CEO Lynne McNally requested the license to be approved Wednesday to secure $700 million in financing and keep on track with the complex’s renovation and expansion, near 63rd and Q streets.
The financing will pay for the WarHorse complexes in Omaha and Lincoln, McNally said in an interview. McNally noted to the commission that the Omaha complex is located directly along a city bus route.
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“We want to be able to hire everybody that wants to work. We have the means to help you get here,” she said.
Galyen, who is a real estate attorney in Norfolk, raised concerns about real estate uses, the potential for substantially altering the racetrack and the commission not reviewing the plans before granting the license for WarHorse in Omaha.
In one of her responses to Galyen, McNally said that the partnership for the WarHorse casino is critical to ensuring the future of Nebraska’s horseracing industry, which has seen declining revenues from simulcasting.
“Without the casino, none of this is possible,” she said.
At one point, Galyen said he didn’t think the commission could legally approve granting the license.
“This issue could not be clearer in my mind. More work needs to be done,” he said. “It is not ready today.”
Galyen’s fellow commissioners did not share his views. Commission chairman Dennis Lee said that the commission is able to approve licenses with numerous conditions.
“I think if we didn’t take action, we will not be complying with our duty as commissioners,” he said.
Nebraska voters in November 2020 approved casinos at the state's licensed horse tracks, but it's taken years for the first spins of slot machines.
WarHorse secured its license for its Lincoln casino in September, and gamblers put an estimated $14 million in slot machines in the first week.
WarHorse put up a temporary casino in Lincoln, including 433 slot machines, for use while construction takes place on the full casino resort, which is expected to include 1,100 slot machines, 100 table games, a sportsbook and both live and simulcast horse racing.
WarHorse Omaha doesn't expect to have a temporary or transitional casino in place at Horsemen's Park until at least sometime next spring. The casino resort there, once completed, will include more than 1,400 gaming positions and a five-story parking garage.
On a 4-1 vote, the commission granted the gaming license that is contingent upon the developers meeting a number of conditions. Galyen was the lone dissenting vote. Commissioner Shane Greckel abstained. Commissioner Shelby Bakenhus was unable to vote since she did not attend the meeting in person.
The Omaha complex is expected to open in early 2024.