Nebraska Town Votes Against Land-Use Petition for Racetrack and Casino

Posted on: October 4, 2024, 01:35h. 

Last updated on: October 4, 2024, 01:35h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Local officials in a Nebraska town where a casino has been authorized voted against an application to rezone the property for the horse racetrack and gaming venue to be built.

Nebraska casino Ogallala Lake Mac
Officials in Ogallala, the small Nebraska city near Lake McConaughy, this week rejected a request to rezone land to allow a casino resort and horse racetrack to be built. The developers behind the Lake Mac Casino Resort & Racetrack must now file the petition again with the Ogallala Planning Commission. (Image: City of Ogallala/Casino.org)

On Tuesday evening, hordes of Ogallala residents packed into the city’s Planning Commission’s meeting to express their opposition to the casino project. In 2022, the Ogallala City Council unanimously approved the $100 million development bid to build a new 5/8 of a mile quarter horse racetrack with an accompanying casino.

Residents told planning commissioners that they’re worried a casino will bring negative societal consequences to the town near the state’s panhandle.

We’re concerned that a casino will change the moral makeup of the community and we’re concerned about potential crime,” said Matt Waitley, a pastor at the Ogallala New Hope Church.

Don Larreau, an associate pastor at the church, said he experienced living near casinos when he was in Colorado.

I can tell you that at no point did [casinos] ever raise the moral compass of the community,” Larreau said.

Ogallala, the county seat of Keith, is home to less than 5,000 people. The town is near Lake McConaughy, a large man-made lake that is a popular recreational destination in the summer for its sandy beaches and abundance of boating and swimming. 

Racing License Relocated

Nebraska businessman Brian Becker was designated for a casino license in 2020 after voters passed a statewide referendum to legalize casinos at the state’s six licensed horse racetracks. At the time, Becker’s company, Hastings Exposition and Racing, Inc., owned Fairplay Park.

Becker initially partnered with the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma for a casino at Fairplay Park. However, after the Hastings City Council objected to the gaming establishment and the tribe exited the agreement, Becker brought on Iowa-based Elite Casino Resorts and the two entities sought a more welcoming market.

Becker and Elite found it some 175 air miles west in Ogallala. The 2022 City Council vote approved the town for gaming.

Since the 2020 referendum only permits casino gambling on the same grounds as where live horse racing is held, Becker and Elite included a new track in its Ogallala pitch. The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission signed off on the license transfer in July.

The complex — dubbed Lake Mac Casino Resort — is targeting land near Interstate 80 south of Lake McConaughy. Along with the racetrack and grandstand, the resort is to include a 180-key hotel, a convention center, RV parking, a variety of restaurants and bars, and a casino with 650 slot machines, 14 live dealer table games, and a sportsbook.

Heated Meeting 

Before Elite and Becker can break ground, they need to have their newly acquired land rezoned for live horse racing, gaming, hotel, and restaurant use. The Planning Commission voted 5-3 against the filing after hearing the public’s strong opposition.

Brandon Scott, the city’s zoning administrator, took issue with citizens only now speaking up.

Where were you in 2022? Everyone should have been at the meeting,” Scott said. “This is a land-use issue [now]. We’re not approving a casino.”

Scott abruptly left the meeting after making his comments part of the public record. The Planning Commission says the casino backers will need to refile their zoning requests to move the project forward.