Lincoln casino sees 28% increase in tax revenue. Is horse racing providing it another boost?

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The grand finale at Lincoln’s iconic horse racing track is this weekend.

Legacy Downs is in its final days of a horse racing meet stretching five weekends.

It’s the first extended meet at Legacy Downs since the WarHorse Casino was built there.

One reason Nebraska legalized casino gambling was to boost the horse racing industry.

Another was to relieve the burden of property taxes.

Horse races themselves don’t contribute to property tax relief, but they bring more people to the casino.

“The better business that the casinos do that are open, the better the property tax relief fund gets funded,” said Lynne Mcnally, the CEO of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

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The numbers aren’t out yet on what these latest horse races have brought to Lincoln.

But the Lincoln casino has generated over $5 million in total tax revenue from January through April. That’s nearly a 28% increase from 2024.

Of that $5 million, about $3.6 million went to the state’s property tax relief fund.

With the latest addition to the casino in Lincoln, that number is only expected to rise.

The state of Nebraska currently has just four casinos, that number could grow to six pretty soon.

Boosters also said horse racing helps other industries, too.

“The farmers that grow that alfalfa, the grass, the feed that we buy is building that structure for everyone,” said Garald Wollesen, president of the horsemen’s association. “What we bring back to Lincoln for these five weeks alone has just brought excitement back to horse racing.”