Grand Island Casino Resort to open at Fonner Park in Nebraska early next year
The Grand Island Casino Resort at Fonner Park in Nebraska will swing into action in the first three months of 2025. C
Following over a year of construction, the casino will offer a 37,000-square-foot gaming floor with 650 slot machines and 20 table games, a sports book, a variety of dining options including top-floor dining at Ruthie’s Steak & Seafood, live weekend entertainment on the show lounge, sports bar, a 116-room boutique hotel, a salon and spa, gift shop, and indoor and outdoor pool with an expansive deck.
General manager Vince Fiala said the casino is looking to fill positions. he said: “We want to hire somewhere between 150 and 200 more employees for food and beverage, hotel, we’ll have a spa, so we’re looking for positions there. We’ll have obviously a larger cleaning staff too because it’s a larger property. We will have facilities, we’ve hired some of those people already to take care of the property.”
Grand Island’s temporary casino at Fonner Park racetrack opened its sportsbook in August 2023. It is located on the concourse of Fonner Park adjacent to the Van Berg Racing Collection and the Nebraska Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame display and features approximately 300 slot machines, kiosks for horse betting, and a snack bar.
Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts said: “We are excited to partner with Fonner Park to add this first-class casino resort to this race track. We are just excited about the Grand Island Community. We look forward to providing excellent service and demonstrating our company values not only to our guests, but to the entire community.”
“My mission is to provide for the horses, horsemen, staff and the guests of Fonner Park. The introduction of casino revenue puts us on a path of regenerating a once thriving Thoroughbred racing industry in Nebraska,” said Fonner Park CEO, Chris Kotulak.
