The Lake Mac Casino Resort and Racetrack officially opened on Tuesday, featuring a $31.2 million racetrack and a temporary casino with 309 slot machines and 24 electronic tables. The facility plans to transition to live table games by March 2026, expanding staff from 110 to about 150 employees. Operating hours for gaming will be from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily. The project represents a significant investment in the community and state, aiming to boost local economic activity.
However, the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission granted only conditional approval for the gaming license due to concerns over the racing license held by Hastings Exhibition and Racing (HER), a non-profit required by law. The commission highlighted a controversial revenue-sharing arrangement where only 10% of casino proceeds go to the Ogallala racetrack, while 90% is paid as consulting fees to Prairie Thunder Casino, LLC, owned by Brian Jordy and Breann Becker. As a result, the commission imposed restrictions forbidding payments to this LLC until the legality of the consulting agreement is clarified.
