Nebraska: WarHorse Omaha Casino opens, marking historic milestone for Winnebago Tribe

Omaha, Nebraska's largest city, celebrated a milestone on Tuesday with the grand opening of its first casino, WarHorse Omaha Casino, located at Horsemen’s Park.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the culmination of decades of effort by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and Ho-Chunk Inc., its economic development arm.

The ceremonial ribbon cutting was attended by officials including Lance Morgan, CEO of WarHorse Gaming; Garald Wollesen, president of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association; and Denny Lee, chairman of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. The event drew approximately 200 attendees who witnessed the casino's official opening and the first bets placed on slot machines.

Today's the day, Omaha! WarHorse Omaha is now open! Join the celebration with games, food and DJ tunes on site. Where the good times roll! #WarHorseOmaha #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/CVLe7ArrNf

— WarHorseOmaha (@WarHorseOmaha) August 6, 2024

The journey to legalize casino gambling in Nebraska was long and contentious. For decades, opponents, including former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne and then-Gov. Pete Ricketts, successfully blocked efforts to introduce gaming in the state. However, in 2020, Nebraska voters approved ballot initiatives permitting casino gambling at six licensed horse racetracks, including Horsemen’s Park. The initiative directed a portion of the proceeds towards property tax relief.

The casino’s opening represents a significant economic opportunity for the Winnebago Tribe. Morgan said that the influx of casino tax revenue will enable the tribe to reclaim land and enhance housing, education, and social services. Ho-Chunk Inc., which employs many members of the Winnebago Tribe as well as non-Native individuals, played a pivotal role in the casino's development.

“Our mission as a company is to create self-sufficiency for the tribe and job opportunities, and this checks two of those boxes. We’re going to have 400 and some employees on the first day. At some point, we’ll get up to about 800 here,” he said.

The initial phase of WarHorse Omaha Casino includes a 58,000-square-foot facility featuring 800 slot machines, 19 live table games, and 100 simulcast screens. Future expansions are set to add 400 more gaming positions, a smoking area, and additional dining options by next spring.

Aaron LaPointe, CEO of Ho-Chunk Capital and Ho-Chunk Farms, subsidiaries of Ho-Chunk Inc., placed the first bet at the casino, marking a historic moment for the Winnebago Tribe.

Morgan projects that Omaha and Douglas County will initially share approximately $6 million annually from the state’s gaming tax, which levies 20% on gross gaming revenue from games of chance operated at licensed racetracks. Of this tax revenue, 70% goes to Nebraska's Property Tax Credit Cash Fund, 25% is allocated to the county and city where the racetrack is located, and the remaining 5% supports the state’s general fund and the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund.

A sister WarHorse casino is set to open fully in Lincoln this fall.