Hastings, Nebraska – Hastings Exposition and Racing, the organization managing the annual one-day quarter horse race in Hastings, Nebraska, has submitted an application to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission requesting a shift in its license to Ogallala. Concurrently, it appears that the plans for a previously proposed casino in Hastings will no longer be pursued.
The application for the 2024 racing license, submitted by Brian Becker who operates Hastings Exposition and Racing, signifies an intent to cultivate and expand a multi-track Quarter Horse racing circuit in western Nebraska. An alliance has been forged with Elite Casino Resorts to construct a $100 million racetrack and casino complex on a 174-acre plot in Ogallala.
Last November, the Hastings Planning Commission had endorsed the establishment of a casino and racing facility situated just north of the local Walmart store in Hastings. Following this endorsement, the Hastings City Council ratified the proposal with a six-to-two majority vote. However, an effort to overturn the council’s decision to award the conditional use permit to Prairie Thunder LLC and West Fork, Inc. for the racing facility was launched in January.
Brian Jorde, the legal representative of Prairie Thunder, the organization intending to develop the Hastings project, confirmed that the license application by Hastings Exposition and Racing signifies the cancellation of the Hastings casino project.
As the casino was a private enterprise, a spokesperson for Hastings city government declined to comment on the matter. Elite Casino Resorts also disclosed plans to develop a gambling resort at Fonner Park in Grand Island.
Details of the planned Ogallala development released in the press indicate a 5/8 mile track capable of accommodating up to 400 stalls to support quarter-horse racing. The proposed casino resort will comprise a 180-room hotel and a casino floor, featuring 640 slot machines, 20 gaming tables, and a poker room. The facility will be constructed just south of Interstate 80, near Ogallala, according to a spokesperson for Elite Casinos.
The proposed facility in Ogallala, which will be operated by Brian Becker’s Hastings Exposition and Racing, also known as FairPlay Park in Hastings, will be christened the Lake Mac Casino Resort and Racetrack. Lake McConaughy, which traditionally attracts millions of out-of-state visitors each year, is expected to drive significant patronage to the resort.
