Lake Mac Casino Resort in Ogallala | Opened Aug. 19, 2025

Hotel opens in 2027-2028

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LAKE MAC CASINO RESORT

777 Pony Express Lane,
Ogallala, NE 96153
308-465-0777

The $100M Lake Mac Casino, Resort and Race Track is located near Interstate 80 and Highway 26 in Ogallala, Nebraska. A temporary casino opened Aug. 19, 2025 and horse racing will begin by Labor Day.

A hotel and conference convention center will be added in 2027-2028. The Lake Mac casino will also be expanded to 37,000 sq-ft with 650 slot machines, 14 live dealer table games and a sportsbook. When totally completed, the resort will include 5/8-mile track, a grandstand, a 180-room hotel, a 10,000-sq-ft event and conference center and an RV Park.

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Lake Mac Casino Resort

The original plan to build a casino resort and racetrack at Lake McConaughy was approved by Ogallala City and county officials in June 2022 in anticipation of more casino licenses becoming authorized by the state legislature at a future date.

The Ogallala plan is a partnership between Hastings Exposition and Racing and by Elite Casino Resorts, which owns and operates the Grand Island Casino Resort in Grand Island, NE.

In July 2024 the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission approved a racing license for Hastings Exposition and Racing to operate a quarter horse track in Ogallala, Nebraska.

The location of the casino resort and racetrack will be a 174-acre site south of Interstate 80 in Ogallala, NE. In October 2024 the Ogallala City Council approved a measure to rezone the land for a casino and racetrack.

In addition to the Grand Island Casino Resort, Elite Casino Resorts owns three Iowa casinos Riverside Casino and Golf Resort in Riverside, IA, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Lyon County, IA, and Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport, IA, and Walker's Bluff Casino in Carterville, Illinois.

News Headlines

Lake Mac Casino Opened | Aug. 19, 2025 August 20, 2025 - Lake Mac Casino Resort & Racetrack officially opened its temporary casino yesterday after received licensing approval from the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission Friday ... Read more Lake Mac Casino, Resort and Race Track in Ogallala Opens Aug. 19, 2025 June 25, 2025 - The first phase of construction for the $100M Lake Mac Casino, Resort and Race Track is nearing completion and will be opening this summer ... Read more Temporary Lake Mac Casino planned to open in 2025 April 25, 2025 - Lake Mac Casino is planning to build a temporary gaming facility on its property near Interstate 80 and Highway 26 in Ogallala. If approved, the casino will open later ... Read more Ogallala Approves Rezoning for $100M Lake Mac Casino Racetrack October 27, 2024 - Last week the Ogallala City Council voted 4-1 to approve rezoning for the $100 million Lake Mac Casino Resort planned for a 174-acre site ... Read more Lake Mac Casino Resort proposed for Ogallala in 2024 June 23, 2023 - Hastings Exposition and Racing has cancelled plans to build a casino in Hastings, Nebraska; and instead, the company has partnered with Elite Casino Resorts to build a $100M ... Read more More Headlines ...

Lake Mac Temporary Casino | 2025

Although Lake Mac Casino Resort project is still pending full regulatory approval and licensing, Elite Casino Resorts, the project owner, is hoping to start horse racing before Labor Day and also open a temporary casino by the end of the year.

TEMPORARY CASINO
Elite Casino Resorts wants to open a temporary casino at Lake Mac Casino Resort to introduce the public to the company and to hire employees for training and experience before the permanent casino opens. The features of the temporary casino will include:

Slot machines - quantity pending
6-table poker room
No keno

RACE TRACK

Another goal of Elite Casino Resorts is to begin racing by Labor Day. The long-term plan is to host 15 race weeks each year. The race weeks would include three days of racing with ten races per day.

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Features | Lake Mac Casino Resort

Gaming

Racetrack

Entertainment

Restaurants

Casino • Sports • Live Dealer • Poker
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Hotel

RV Parking

Truck Stop & Travel Center

News Articles

Lake Mac Casino Opened | Aug. 19, 2025

August 20, 2025

Lake Mac Casino Resort & Racetrack officially opened its temporary casino yesterday after received licensing approval from the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission Friday. Quarter horse racing is expected to start before Labor Day.

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Place your bets: Ogallala's Lake Mac Casino Resort and Racetrack is now open - Courtesy of The North Platte Telegraph, Aug 19, 2025. Available from YouTube

"This is an exciting milestone for Elite Casino Resorts, Keith County and the community of Ogallala. We're ready to open the doors and welcome Gov. Jim Pillen, local leaders and guests to an outstanding entertainment experience at Lake Mac Casino."

- Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts

The temporary casino features more 300 slot machines, electronic table games, a 5/8-mile quarter horse racetrack, Elite Sportsbook, simulcast racebook and the Draft Day Sports Lounge.

Over the next 2-3 years, Lac Mac casino will expand to a permanent casino with 37,000 square feet, 650 slot machines and 14 table games, two restaurants, a sports bar and a grab-and-go, a 180-room hotel, convention center, RV parking and a truck stop and travel center.

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Lake Mac Casino, Resort and Race Track in Ogallala Opens Aug. 19, 2025

June 25, 2025

The first phase of construction for the $100M Lake Mac Casino, Resort and Race Track is nearing completion and will be opening this summer on August 19th. The opening will include a temporary casino, a 5/8 mile circular track, and one horse barn.

The new casino will feature 350 slot machines, 7 table games, a sportsbook, and a simulcast area according to the Lake Mac Casino's website.

Quarter horse racing will begin by Labor Day. The 5/8-mile race track is nearly completed. One barn is completed with capacity for 96 to 98 quarter horses. Three more barns are planned for the future.

"We're going to run quarter-horses here. We've very excited about the American Quarter Horse. Here in Nebraska, there's a very strong number of quarter horses here in Nebraska, and we're really excited to be able to offer competitive races and purse monies for horsemen to race their horses."

- Cynthia Smith, Vice-President Lake Mac Race Track

The next phase of construction is expected to start sometime next year and will include a 180-room hotel and a 10,000-sq-ft event and convention center. These venues will open in 2027-2028.

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Ogallala Approves Rezoning for $100M Lake Mac Casino Racetrack

October 27, 2024

Last week the Ogallala City Council voted 4-1 to approve rezoning for the $100 million Lake Mac Casino Resort planned for a 174-acre site south of Interstate 80. The approval is one more step closer to bringing the project to reality.

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Ogallala City Council votes on rezoning land for potential casino and racetrack - Courtesy of KNOP News 2, Oct 24, 2024. Available from YouTube

Last July the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission approved transferring a racing license from a Hasting racetrack to the new Ogallala racetrack. The racetrack will be a 5/8-mile oval track.

If the casino is approved by the gaming commission, the Ogallala casino will feature 650 slot machines, 14 table games, a 6-table poker section, and an Elite Sportsbook. There will also be a 180-room hotel, a 10,000-sq-ft event and convention venue, and an RV park.

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Lake Mac Casino Resort proposed for Ogallala in 2024

June23, 2023

Hastings Exposition and Racing has cancelled plans to build a casino in Hastings, Nebraska; and instead, the company has partnered with Elite Casino Resorts to build a $100 million racetrack and casino in Ogallala. The new racino will be located just south of Interstate 80 near Ogallala and named Lake Mac Casino Resort.

In a press release, Lake Mac Casino Resort is described as a casino resort with multi-track quarter horse racing. The casino will feature 640 slots, 20 gaming tables and a poker room. The hotel will offer 180 guest rooms and suites.

Hastings Exposition and Racing has submitted a new racing license application to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission to move the Hastings license to Ogallala in 2024.

Elite Casino also owns the Grand Island Casino Resort at Fonner Park, where a temporary casino operates inside the concourse and a permanent casino and hotel will open in 2025.

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Ogallala City approves Lake Mac Casino Resort Proposal

July 6, 2022

A $100 million Ogallala casino proposal, named Lake Mac Casino Resort, was approved by city and county officials last week. The plan was developed in anticipation the state legislature may authorize additional casino licenses for racetracks beyond the original six approved in the 2020 voter referendum.

The Ogallala casino project, named Lake Mac Casino Resort, was developed by Elite Casino Resorts, which has filed a casino aplication to build the Grand Island Casino Resort at Fonner Park in Grand Island.

The Lake Mac Casino Resort & Racetrack plan will feature a casino with 650 slot machines, 20 table games, six poker tables, a sportsbook and a hotel with 120 rooms and a convention center.

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News Headlines Continued

Ogallala City approves Lake Mac Casino Resort Proposal July 6, 2022 - A $100 million Ogallala casino proposal, named Lake Mac Casino Resort, was approved by city and county officials last week. The plan was developed in ... Read more