Nebraska: Grand Island Casino Resort seeking to add table games, sportsbook by month's end

The Grand Island Casino Resort in Nebraska is planning to add table games and a sportsbook to its offerings later this month. The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission will decide on the casino’s request at its August 18th meeting.

If the regulator votes in favor of the plan, the casino could open its expanded gaming area on the same day, as per Journal Star. It would become the first casino in the state with table games

The temporary casino at Fonner Park has been making attempts to add new offerings since April. The property plans to add one craps game, one roulette game, five blackjack games and one ultimate Texas Hold ‘em game, a variation of poker where the player plays against the dealer.

The casino also plans to add 46 slot machines, bringing its total to 336. Additionally, it will also bring an expanded food and beverage area, which will allow patrons to order burgers, chicken strips, fries and omelets, as per the report. The current food joint serves sandwiches, pizza, hot dogs and nachos. The expanded area will also house restrooms on the casino floor.

"We'll have roughly 50 seats in there. We'll have a little stage for entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights," said Vince Fiala, general manager of Grand Island Casino Resort, as per the cited source. The performances will feature two and three-piece bands.

The expanded gaming area will be south of the current temporary casino and should the commission give the go-ahead, the sportsbook will open "right before college football, probably about Aug. 24," Fiala said. The casino would thus join WarHorse Casino in Lincoln, which opened its sports wagering operation in June, as the second in the state with sports betting.

The Grand Island casino plans to hold a groundbreaking for its permanent property in the first week of October, and Fiala noted that if everything goes as planned, it could be open as early as December 2024. But that date depends on supply chain issues, labor and other variables, he noted.