Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today
GRAND ISLAND – The Grand Island Casino plans to open during the first quarter of 2025, said Alison Nicholson, Director of Marketing.
“We’d like to be open before horseracing season,” she said.
The temporary casino at Fonner Park opened Dec. 27, 2022.
Groundbreaking for the $100 million casino resort was Nov. 1, 2023.
Nicholson talked about the restaurants that will be located at the casino on March 4. The first is Ruthie’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant, which will be located on the top floor of the 162-room hotel at the site.
“It will have stunning views of Grand Island,” she said.
Draft Day Sports Lounge will feature burgers, pizza and beer. Nicholson described it as a casual sports bar.
22 and Vine will be a casual restaurant, she said.
“The other restaurant is going to be a ‘grab and go.’ For instance, it will have a breakfast sandwich and cup of coffee,” said Vince Fiala, general manager of the Grand Island Casino.
“We’ll have a spa that will offer all kinds of services,” Nicholson said about the spa that will be located at the hotel. Those services include massages and facials.
The hotel will also feature an indoor/outdoor pool with hot tub.
A major feature of the casino will be a 162-room boutique hotel.
The casino will have 750 slot machines and 20 table games. Local and regional entertainment will perform in a show lounge on the gaming floor.
“As of now, we are the only casino in Nebraska with live table games,” Nicholson said. Those include craps and blackjack.
There will be an area where people can bet on sports events, Fiala said.
“You can’t bet on Nebraska when the team is playing in Nebraska,” he said.
“My goal is to bring a touch of Las Vegas to Grand Island with fun and excitement for all of the community,” Nicholson said.
Elite Casino Resorts is the parent company of Grand Island casino.
