Plans detailed for racetrack, casino in Ogallala

    Hastings Exposition and Racing, Inc., submitted its 2024 racing license application to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission June 20 with plans to relocate the license to Ogallala.
    The plan is to establish and grow a multi-track Quarter Horse racing circuit in western Nebraska along with a casino resort.
    Hastings will partner with Elite Casino Resorts to invest $100 million in a racetrack development and full-service casino resort on a proposed 174-acre site at Ogallala, said Brian Becker, president of Hastings Expo and Racing.
    In a press release, Becker said his team will run the racetrack and manage all aspects of racing.
    “We’ve been in the racing business for over 30 years, and the Elite family has been in the casino industry for over 30 years,” Becker said.
    “It was a perfect partnership to help grow the Quarter Horse racing industry by moving our racing license to western Nebraska,” he said.
    Hastings Exposition and Racing, Inc. plans a second Quarter Horse racing facility in the Gering/Scotts Bluff County area.
    There are over 79,000 Quarter Horses, with over 13,500 owners in Nebraska, most in western Nebraska, according to Becker.
    ‘We look forward to highlighting the valuable role these Nebraska bred horses have played in our history and growing Quarter Horse racing in our state as well as attracting new owners and Quarter Horses from other states,” he said.
    “We fully support this move to grow our racing industry,” said Ed Ziemba, President of the Nebraska Quarter Horse Racing Association.
    The proposed development will have a 5/8-mile racetrack with a testing and receiving barn, with a capacity for 400 stalls, a paddock viewing area, a winner’s circle and state-of-the-art facilities to support racing activities.
    The resort will include 180 hotel rooms with a pool and spa, an event center, a variety of Elite dining options, a sportsbook with simulcasting, a large-scale travel center and an RV park.
    The casino floor will include 650 slot machines, 20 live tables and a poker room.
    “We are honored to be chosen to be part of the Keith County and Ogallala communities, as well as partner with Hastings Exposition and Racing to move their existing horse racing license to western Nebraska, where the opportunity to capture out-of-state business is strong,” said Elite Casino Resorts CEO Dan Kehl.
    “We look forward to this partnership and showcasing our Elite amenities in western Nebraska,” he added.
    Mary Wilson, Executive Director of the Keith County Area Development, said, “As a tourism-heavy community, we are well-positioned to take advantage of this development and host millions of out-of-state visitors a year.
    “The location is ideal and will further enhance the appeal of our area as a vacation destination. It’s our chance to grow western Nebraska. We look forward to the day the first Quarter Horse race is held and when the casino resort opens its doors in Ogallala,” she added.
    Lake Mac Casino Resort & Racetrack is expected to draw visitors from surrounding states, with Lake McConaughy already drawing over 2 million out-of-state visitors a year.
    “While the casino is still in the design stages,” Wilson says, “we are excited to have these experienced racing and casino resort leaders be part of our community.”
    Becker started Hastings Exposition and Racing dba as FairPlay Park in Hastings in 2004 and it was granted approval by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission for a racing license in Adams County.
    Keith County Area Development leads activities and partners with community members to broaden and strengthen employment and commerce in Keith County.