Bellevue pushes for casino license as new entertainment district takes shape

BELLEVUE, Neb. (WOWT) – Bellevue tops the list for the expansion of casino and horse racing licenses in Nebraska, according to a new market analysis.

The Innovation Group studied eight scenarios of putting a casino and race track in these Nebraska cities: Bellevue, Norfolk, York, North Platte, Gering, Kimball and Ogallala. The eighth and final scenario: all seven of those cities.

This time, Bellevue got props for its revenue generation potential — $61 million — more than nay other scenario, and for its plan to have a quarter horse race track.

The idea of huge waterparks has been dangled in front of the public in Bellevue for years, only for the promises to go down the drain. This one, officials say, is unlike the others, though.

The Bellevue Bay Indoor Water Park breaks ground this summer near the interchange of Highway 75 and Highway 34. It’s expected to open in the Summer of 2026.

“It’s a blank slate here, really,” said Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike. “Sort of an open canvas.”

Mayor Hike believes the waterpark will be a major draw and an economic driver in the new entertainment district. He also sees one of the new neighbors on the farmland nearby, a casino and quarter horse racing, which is a shorter track where the horses reach higher speeds.

“We’re building a whole new city here,” said Hike.

The main reason Bellevue is at the top of a new market analysis commissioned by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission comes down to people. There are just so many more people in the Omaha metro than other places in Nebraska, that there’s enough to go around, even with the new WarHorse Casino in Omaha and the three casinos bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in Council Bluffs.

“We have 750,000 people on the west side of the river,” Hike said. “There’s $450 million a year gambled on the other side of the river. We’ve got the people.”

Nebraskans resisted expanded gambling for more than two decades. Now, many cities across the state are embracing it and trying to convince the commission to pick them.

“Three-quarters of the revenue goes to property tax relief,” said John Hassett. “It’s very important right now. That’s such a hot-button issue. I don’t know why it doesn’t make sense to authorize a couple more tracks. There’s plenty of quarter horses to do so and it would generate additional property tax revenue. I think it’s a nice fit.”

The Nebraska RGC is expected to meet next Friday.

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