Ho-Chunk, a Nebraska-based offshoot of the Winnebago Tribe, lower a take care of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, to share proceeds from a brand new on line casino opening on the affiliation’s licensed tracks in Omaha and Lincoln. Meanwhile, on line casino operators with out tracks will probably be frozen out.
“If we’re going to spend that money” on the ballot initiative, “we want to be the entity that’s most likely to have casinos,” stated Morgan.
Nebraska is certainly one of simply 4 states which have legally tied casinos to horse racing tracks, stated Christopher Browne, a spokesman for the American Gaming Association. Other states connected completely different situations, reminiscent of working on riverboats, however most had been finally lifted. The Nebraska measure is enshrined within the state structure so modifications could be troublesome.
Some who elevate and race horses in Nebraska stated they hope casinos can convey bigger crowds again to their sport.
“Without the casino gaming, I don’t know if we could have survived much longer,” stated Garald “Wally” Wollesen, a racehorse proprietor.
Chris Kotulak, the CEO of Fonner Park in Grand Island, stated his observe manages to carry 40 race days over 4 months by providing extra “minor league” races with modest purses in comparison with these in different states.
But Kotulak stated he’s apprehensive there will not be sufficient employees if extra tracks provide races.
“We don’t have enough infrastructure right now,” he stated. “To think that we can have half a dozen more race tracks, or even two more … where are these people going to come from?”
Anything that helps the game is OK with Jay Helzer, who sat by himself and watched the races on a cold day just lately in largely empty bleachers at Fonner Park. Helzer, 76, stated he supported the 2020 poll measure.
“It’s sure not going to hurt anything,” Helzer stated, gesturing to rows of open seats throughout him. “Here we are, a Friday afternoon, and there’s hardly anybody here.”
