Ho-Chunk Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Morgan recently announced the tribe has filed with the Nebraska secretary of state’s office a ballot initiative proposal seeking to change the state constitution and allow casino gambling at racetracks. The issue would appear on the 2020 ballot. If approved, casino gambling would be permitted at racetracks in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Columbus, South Sioux City and possibly Hastings. The petition drive would cost about $6 million, Morgan said.
Expanded gambling would generate $50 million in tax revenue to provide property tax relief help fund public schools, Morgan stated. “Nebraskans’ money is funding other states’ priorities. There’s a lot of good this money can do right here in Nebraska. Nebraska’s political leadership says they’re not for gaming, but we have a lottery and any Nebraskan who wants can cross the border and gamble. Gaming is here. It’s just a question of whether of we’re going to benefit from it or other states are going to benefit from it,” Morgan said. Studies show Nebraskans gamble $500 million annually in surrounding states.
Ho-Chunk, the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe in Nebraska, owners of the Atokad track in South Sioux City and WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa, is partnering with the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent Protection Association to promote the issue.
In 2016, a similar petition effort failed to gather the required number of valid signatures. Then, and now, the name of the initiative campaign committee is Keep the Money in Nebraska. “We’ve got a new signature company we feel pretty good about, and we’ve got a lot more time this time. I’m a lot more confident that this initiative will be successful,” Morgan said.
The petition drive would result in three questions on the 2020 ballot: the constitutional amendment allowing casino gambling at horse racetracks, and statutory changes to establish a state gaming commission and determine how gaming revenue would be allocated.
Nebraska allows betting on horseracing, keno, lottery and bingo. Referendums to expand gambling failed in 2004 and 2006. In 2014, a referendum issue allowing historical horseracing machines was kept off the ballot due to wording problems. The Nebraska State Racing Commission currently is considering adding historical horseracing machines at Fonner Park.
In 2017, wagering on live races and simulcast races at Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island and Columbus tracks was $67.9 million, the lowest total since simulcast wagering was added in Nebraska in the 1980s.
Morgan said allowing casino gambling at the state’s licensed horse racetracks could help turn around that situation. “I think it’s a double positive for Nebraska. We’ll get some gaming revenue going. We’ll also revive an industry that really suffers, and in doing so it will give rural Nebraska a much needed economic boost.”
