Public hearing on proposed racetrack and casino in Nebraska postponed

Prairie Thunder Hastings, LLC, had requested that the Hastings Planning Commission postpone a public hearing on the project for a racetrack and casino.

US.- After the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission voted in favour of proposed rules to allow casino gambling at Nebraska race tracks, one of those projects was to have a public hearing at the Hastings Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, but Prairie Thunder Hastings has requested the hearing be postponed for at least 30 days.

To make the casino possible, the Hastings Planning Commission would first need to approve the rezoning of the space north of 42nd Street from Agriculture to Commercial Business. The racetrack would also require a conditional use permit.

A public hearing on the change of zoning and a conditional use permit for the project have now been postponed at the request of the applicant, and the items removed from the Planning Commission’s upcoming agenda. 

According to KSNB, Tuesday’s meeting was set to hear a recommendation to deny the rezoning and table the conditional use permit. The applicant therefore decided it wanted to revisit city officials and the planning commission to look at what it needs to change.

In December, Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission voted in favour of proposed rules to allow casino gambling at Nebraska race tracks. 

All six licensed horse tracks, which are located in Lincoln, Omaha, South Sioux City, Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings, have announced plans to add casinos. Six additional racetracks have been proposed in Bellevue, Gering, Kimball, Norfolk, North Platte and York.

Executive vice president of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Lynne McNally said: “I think when all 6 facilities for the existing race tracks are up and running, I think we are talking about around $100m a year in revenue.”

See also: Nebraska casino regulations approved