Harrah’s Nebraska Opens Temporary Venue in Columbus

Article ByDavid Weir

June 12, 2023

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Posted in: Nebraska Gambling News, US Casino News

Last month, we reported on Harrah’s successful license application for a temporary venue in Columbus, Nebraska. This Monday, that temporary casino has opened its doors.

“We are officially open! Bring your ID and head on over,” the casino said in a social media announcement.

The temporary venue will operate every day inside Ag Park racecourse from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. That’s until a permanent Harrah’s Columbus Casino and Resort is completed just outside of town on Highway 81.

Harrah’s owner Caesars has been greenlit by the Nebraska Gaming and Racing Commission to build the $75 million casino, racetrack and hotel resort. It is looking to launch in 2024.

State and County officials completed a final walkthrough assessment of the temporary venue on Sunday evening. They gave it to the go-ahead to open for business Monday morning.

Related: Our pick of the best online casinos in Nebraska

An Amazing Casino

For now, Harrah’s Nebraska venue will have 250 slots and electronic table games, but no physical table games with live dealers.

“It’s been a long road from ‘where do you start a casino?’,” said Caesars Entertainment Regional President Todd Connelly to the Columbus Telegram.

“Our design and construction teams made it happen from a facility that was just a bare building. Now, it’s an amazing casino.”

While the temporary Harrah’s venue operates, horse racing will continue at Ag Park. While it does, visitors will be able to bet on the racing from Harrah’s venue, as it will have livecast horse racing kiosks, as well as casino games.

Racing to a Close

However, racing at Ag Park will only last as long as the temporary casino does, or perhaps not even that long.

As part of the casino operator’s requirements for a Nebraska license, each casino must ensure horse racing is operated on site.

Columbus Exposition and Racing, Inc is partnering with Caesars to make that happen. It will be cofinancing the $75 million permanent Harrah’s Columbus Resort to pay for the racetrack.

“It’s been a two-and-a-half year process to get things up and going. But we’re finally at the start of bringing something spectacular to the Columbus community,” said the managing partner at CER, Tom Jackson.

He also confirmed to local media the last racing session at Ag Park would be in late 2023, from September 29 through October 29.

Then, the racing calendar will restart at Harrah’s Columbus.

“We’re going to put a great product out there and we’re going to have great Nebraskan people working there. It’s going to be a win-win for everybody, I believe,” said Connelly.

WarHorse Competition

The Columbus Resort is expected to be the first permanent casino venue to open in Nebraska.

Two temporary venues have already opened before Harrah’s.

WarHorse Gaming, owned by the local Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, opened its temporary WarHorse Casino Lincoln venue in September 2022, and Elite Casino Resorts followed with the temporary Grand Island Casino at Fonner’s Park two months later in December.

Neither operator is expected to complete full resort opening before Caesars and Columbus Exposition Racing.

WarHorse is also building a second casino in Omaha, with the two developments costing more than $300 million. It is also has the right to apply to open a casino at the Atokad Downs racecourse in Sioux City.