A group led by Ho-Chunk Inc., the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Wisconsin, is gathering signatures for a 2020 ballot initiative to allow casino gambling at state-licensed horseracing tracks–including Atokad Downs, owned by Ho-Chunk, in South Sioux City. Ho-Chunk Chief Executive Officer Lance Morgan said, “Given the fact that rural Nebraska–rural America really–is really struggling in a lot of ways, I think it’ll be great for the rural economy.” He added, the state’s equine industry—including stables, food, training, veterinary care and more—would benefit from expanded gambling.
Atokad recently held its one day of live horseracing per year, the minimum required under state law for Nebraska racetracks to simulcast races from other U.S. racetracks. Hundreds of spectators showed up to watch the five races–the largest number presented since Ho-Chunk bought Atokad in 2016.
In 2016, Ho-Chunk failed to have an expanded gambling measure placed on the ballot. Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale’s office rejected a tens of thousands of the signatures on the petitions. Ho-Chunk is in litigation with Northstar Campaign Systems, which it alleges inflated the number of signatures collected.
Morgan said the new third-party vendor gathering signatures now is “doing a great job. We have a great process in place, for not just gathering signatures, but also verifying the validity of them. I think that we’re not going to have any trouble whatsoever.”
Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association Executive Vice President Lynne Schuller noted casinos in other states, plus Nebraska’s lottery and Keno games have impacted horseracing in the state. She said, “When Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack in Omaha was running, there were no riverboats in Iowa. There were no casinos in Missouri. There were no slot machines in South Dakota. There was no gaming in Kansas. If casino gaming is passed, we will take every penny, almost, that we make from that casino gaming, we will put it directly into the horse industry, live horseracing.”
Morgan said if the petition drive is successful and the ballot issue passes, Ho-Chunk will quickly expand operations at Atokad, including adding a restaurant, sports bar, simulcasting and casino gaming. “I see no reason to wait. We’ll get right on it. We’ve already had plans in place, if it passes, it’s going to happen almost immediately,” he said.
