Temporary Fonner Park Grand Island Casino proposes expansion

Construction of the permanent casino will begin after the 2023 state fair.

04/05/23

The Nebraska casino hopes to add table games to its offer.

US.- Grand Island’s temporary casino at Fonner Park racetrack, Nebraska, is hoping to expand. It intends to add table games and more slots. The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission will need to consider the proposal at its April 14 meeting.

Vincent Fiala, the casino’s general manager, said it plans to add craps, roulette and blackjack tables to its existing operation. The expansion would also include additional slot machines, restrooms on the casino floor, an expanded dining area and space for entertainment on the weekends.

Fiala said the planned changes will allow guests to “have as much of a resort experience as they can in the temporary facility, which currently has about 300 slot machines.

If the expansion gets approval commission, the new games could be up and running by July, depending on how long construction takes and how long it takes to hire and train dealers.

By the end of February, the Grand Island casino had already generated more than $1m in gaming taxes in just over two months of operation with just slot machines.

As for the permanent venue, it will 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 with an expansive deck and a 400-stall parking garage. Construction will begin after the 2023 state fair. It’s expected to open in 2025.