Grand Island Casino breaks grounds on permanent location
The Grand Island Casino has started the construction of its $100m casino in Fonner Park, Nebraska.
US.- The Grand Island Casino has celebrated the start of construction of its $100m permanent casino resort with a groundbreaking ceremony at Fonner Park in Nebraska. The venue is expected to open in 2025.
The venue is to include a 37,000-square-foot casino floor with 650 slot machines and 20 table games, plus a sportsbook. It will offer four restaurants including a rooftop dining experience, a show lounge and sports bar, a 116-room boutique hotel, a salon and spa, gift shop, an indoor and outdoor pool and a 400-stall parking garage.
Grand Island’s temporary casino at Fonner Park racetrack opened its sportsbook in August, making it the second facility to take sports bets in Nebraska. The Elite Sportsbook offers betting kiosks in the Draft Day area.
Grand Island is Elite’s only casino in Nebraska. Elite operates four other casinos in Illinois, Iowa, and South Dakota.
See also: Nebraska’s WarHorse casino in Omaha to open sportsbook
Elite CEO Dan Kehl said: “We are excited to have a temporary casino open but wait until you see the amenities we offer in our permanent casino resort. We’ve put together a strong team of local contractors to partner with us on this project. We are glad to get the ball rolling.”
Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commissioner Shane Greckel added: “Fonner Park continues to be a driving force in Nebraska Racing and Gaming.”
Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak commented: “This new casino and hotel will tower over our campus and be a beacon to recognize the Thoroughbreds, horseman and community who have made Fonner Park what it is and what it can be in the future.”
Nebraska’s temporary casinos generate $1.58m in taxes in September
Nebraska’s three temporary casinos in Lincoln, Fonner Park and Columbus generated $1.58 in tax revenue during September. The casinos were taxed 20 per cent on combined gross revenue of $7.91m.
The tax payments were up from $1.55m in August and $1.54m in July. Three racetrack casinos are currently open in Nebraska: Grand Island Casino Resort in Grand Island, WarHorse Casino in Lincoln and Harrah’s Columbus NE Racing & Casino.
