Chairman Austyn Dupeire and Ogallala Planning Commission voted 5-3 against recommending rezoning farmland for a racino. (Image: David R. Frazier Photolibrary, Inc.)

The Ogallala Planning Commission voted against rezoning a nearly 175-acre farmland site for a racetrack casino destination on Tuesday, casting doubt on the future of the project ahead of a final decision by the Ogallala City Council later this month.

At least 40 people attended a private hearing ahead of the vote, which ended 5-3 against the rezoning recommendation.

License for Racino Transferred from Hastings to Ogallala

Initially, Hastings Exposition and Racing, which is head by Brian Becker, had seemingly planned to build a racino in Hastings, where the group runs a one-day quarter horse race. But in the summer of 2023, Becker submitted an application to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission to move the license to Ogallala.

The Racing and Gaming Commission voted 7-0 on July 19 to transfer the license. That move was supported by a market study last December, which found that Ogallala, located near the Colorado border, would be more favorable to Becker’s company, and would also be most acceptable to the five existing racetracks in Nebraska.

According to Ogallala City Manager Kevin Wilkins, the rezoning issue is the last major legal hurdle remaining before Becker would be able to proceed with the racino project.

“My wife and I when we moved here found the town to be welcoming,” Matt Waitley, a pastor at New Hope Church, said at the meeting. “We’re concerned that a casino will change the moral makeup of the community and we’re concerned about potential crime. Do we want the face of our community to change or the moral fabric to change, potentially? It’s not guaranteed but it’s our fear.” added Waitley.

Tensions Lead One Commission Member to Walk Out

The public outcry at the meeting frustrated some commission members, who pointed out that this meeting wasn’t about approving a casino – just about zoning land for a racino that had already been approved.

“Everyone should have been at the meeting that opposed legalized gambling,” Ogallala Planning and Zoning Administrator Brandon Scott told those in attendance. “It’s a land use issue, we’re not approving a casino.”

At one point, the discussions got heated enough that Scott exited the meeting, according to a report by KNOP News 2.

Commission Chairman Austyn Dupeire expressed concerns about the lack of information about the racino that would be built on the plot of land in question.

“We’re being asked to close our eyes and make a decision on this, and I have a moral problem with that,” Dupeire said. “Can’t we see a little bit of something? At least where some buildings are going to go, a little bit of what the roads are going to look like? I would love to see a traffic study…but I have nothing.”

While the Planning Commission withheld its recommendation, the decision will ultimately come down to the Ogallala City Council, which will hold a public hearing and vote on the rezoning proposal on October 22.

Becker’s firm plans to build a 0.625-mile horse track with a casino floor that would feature 650 slots, 20 table games, six poker tables, and a sportsbook. If the project gets all necessary approvals, organizers hope to begin running quarter horse races at the track in September 2025.