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Potentially big legal decision allowing a casino in Carter Lake. Mentions of 2000 slot machines and 50 tables along with a 150 room hotel. I haven't done a ton of digging, but it looks like it may be planned for the empty lot next to the new Casey's.

The problem is that the casinos in Iowa are not doing good right now. They look dead to me compared to when they opened. This new casino in Omaha may be walking into a dead market. Other then that little problem they could make millions.

iamjacobm wrote:Potentially big legal decision allowing a casino in Carter Lake. Mentions of 2000 slot machines and 50 tables along with a 150 room hotel. I haven't done a ton of digging, but it looks like it may be planned for the empty lot next to the new Casey's.

The lot next to Casey's is owned by the Omaha tribe. This lot is 3 blocks south and 2 blocks west of that.

9th & Ave H. Where Ponca Smoke Signals Shop is now.

I'm sure the PTB for CET and Pinnacle will fight this with all they have. Ditto for the Omaha Keno (is Keno a common or a proper noun?) industry!

EastCB wrote:

iamjacobm wrote:Potentially big legal decision allowing a casino in Carter Lake. Mentions of 2000 slot machines and 50 tables along with a 150 room hotel. I haven't done a ton of digging, but it looks like it may be planned for the empty lot next to the new Casey's.

The lot next to Casey's is owned by the Omaha tribe. This lot is 3 blocks south and 2 blocks west of that.

If Ponca can do it, then the Omaha's can't be far behind.

It is nearing completion and will open November 1. Open 24 hours. Smallest Casino in the metro?

https://www.omaha.com/news/iowa/the-pra ... d57f8.html

Buckys gas stations are bigger then this place.

I'm happy for the Ponca and their new casino. I hope they do well.

daveoma wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 4:01 am I'm happy for the Ponca and their new casino. I hope they do well.

When I looked up where this was built, I thought there was no hope for it to succeed. However, one of my coworkers brought up a good point about its location. Being in the thick of an industrial district, they can easily lure workers in the area to play some slots before heading home (or spending more time that there). I do not condone gambling, and I think other industries should be explored in bringing prosperity to the tribes, but I also don't want to see this fail purely on the fact that the Ponca tribe needs to be successful, at least until they get their investment back.

I know someone who will be treating this like a cellphone lot at the airport!

zippy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:43 pm I know someone who will be treating this like a cellphone lot at the airport!

Haha
That's a great idea!

ita wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 10:31 am

daveoma wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 4:01 am I'm happy for the Ponca and their new casino. I hope they do well.

When I looked up where this was built, I thought there was no hope for it to succeed.

The fear I have is that Locust Street is a yellow brick road that leads straight North right into one of Omaha's most poverty stricken neighborhoods. How many old people and welfare people in that already stressed out neighborhood are going to take their government entitlement checks the first of every month and head for the Casino right down the street? Its a scary thought and lets hope I am wrong because this neighborhood has enough problems it don't need anymore.

I was reading about the opening of the casino in the paper the other day and I could not help but notice how the article quickly degenerated into a rant about how we stole the Indians land and lied and abused them so they deserve to have this casino. Since a bunch of Americans screwed over their ancestors 200 years ago that gives them the legal right and moral right to open that casino and take money from the not to bright and the unfortunates. I ain't buying it. I'm happy for the Ponca tribe too but not so much at that address.

daveoma wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 4:28 pm

zippy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:43 pm I know someone who will be treating this like a cellphone lot at the airport!

Haha
That's a great idea!

At least it would have restrooms!

Some comparisons to the CB casinos:

Prairie Flower: 200 slots (may eventually grow to 2,000 slots and 50 tables)
Harrah's: 543 slots, 22 tables, grossed $73.7 Million in 2017
Ameristar: 1,600 slots, 26 tables, grossed $172 Million in 2017
Horseshoe: 1,400 slots, 64 tables, grossed $174 Million in 2017.

Here is a picture from the World Herald:

(This is more or less a repost of one I posted on one of the LV chat boards ...)

I and a co-worker made the trek there over lunch yesterday.

We got there 12:30-ish. We came from the north, making a right turn on Avenue H, but there was an obvious back-up on those coming north from downtown and turning left on Ave. H, backing up well past the left turn lane.

When we got to the casino, about 5 city blocks west of the intersection, there was a back-up of those turning left into the parking lot and a back-up in the lot of those waiting for places to park. They had a city cop and a local security guy directing traffic into the lot and several "suits" in the lot guiding people to open parking places. We waited maybe two minutes for a place to park.

Inside it was MOBBED to say the least! SRO and then some! Every single seat was occupied with people playing and many folks waiting for an open seat to pounce upon.

Here's the point by point run-down ...

The good:

It's, uh, there, and it's open.
About 200 slots, mix of video and open reel type. $0.01 to $1.00.
Bar and snack bar with fairly prompt service.
More competition in gaming for the area.

The bad:

Absolutely NONE of the common video slots that I know and love!
Absolutely NO video poker that I could find.
No tables (but they said machines only for the first phase).
Bud Light was $5.00, compared to $3.75 at the other local casinos.
Small! (But they say expansions coming Real Soon.)

The ugly:

Parking! Inadequate, at least for the crowd today. Hopefully improving as the novelty wears off.
Hard to find! See below.
I saw that dreaded "bingo card" on some (not all, but not wearing my glasses) of the machines.
Not a very nice area of town, at all!

When you get to the intersection that they advertise (Abbott Drive and Avenue H) there is no sign OF the casino and no sign FOR the casino either. It's like you have to know where it is to get there! All you see at the intersection are several usual-suspect airport hotels, a Subway, a Perkins, and an expensive "fill yer rental car" gas station. No clue at all as to where it is.

I do give them an A for effort!

In all fairness, I'll stop back some time when the crowds have thinned a bit and play a while.

Did you notice their payout % as you were cashing out your winnings at the cage?

Of the 17 casino's open 3 years or more in Iowa, the 3 in Council Bluffs are in the top 6 of worst for slot players.

Average Casino Slot Take from 2016-2018:
Highest Lakeside Casino 10.64%
2nd Horseshoe CB 10.59%
3rd Harrah's CB 10.38%
6th Ameristar CB 9.66%
Lowest 17th Prairie Meadows 8.11%
Average: 9.53%

No, didn't notice.

However, this is exactly why we need more competition in the local gaming market!

Still might have a fight on their hands.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story ... 049520002/

The $10 million Prairie Flower Casino opened in November with 200 slot-style machines after the National Indian Gaming Commission approved the tribe's casino license a year earlier, some 10 years after the tribe began its effort to open the casino. It's far from a novelty in the area: Three much larger casinos are just a few miles away, also in western Iowa. Yet the casino's location is central to the opposition to it, including lawsuits from the city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and the states of Iowa and Nebraska.

Also this isn't specific to this casino, but man Nebraska really just lets money flood out of the state with their archaic laws.

State and local officials don't want to give up any share of the millions in taxes, fees and endowment funds Council Bluffs' three casinos produce. In 2017, that public money came to nearly $95 million, according to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, and a large chunk comes from Nebraska residents. A 2013 study ordered by the commission found Nebraska residents spent nearly $327 million at Iowa casinos, one-quarter of revenues for the state.

iamjacobm wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:20 am Still might have a fight on their hands.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story ... 049520002/

The $10 million Prairie Flower Casino opened in November with 200 slot-style machines after the National Indian Gaming Commission approved the tribe's casino license a year earlier, some 10 years after the tribe began its effort to open the casino. It's far from a novelty in the area: Three much larger casinos are just a few miles away, also in western Iowa. Yet the casino's location is central to the opposition to it, including lawsuits from the city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and the states of Iowa and Nebraska.

Also this isn't specific to this casino, but man Nebraska really just lets money flood out of the state with their archaic laws.

State and local officials don't want to give up any share of the millions in taxes, fees and endowment funds Council Bluffs' three casinos produce. In 2017, that public money came to nearly $95 million, according to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, and a large chunk comes from Nebraska residents. A 2013 study ordered by the commission found Nebraska residents spent nearly $327 million at Iowa casinos, one-quarter of revenues for the state.

Why can't they leave the Ponca and their small casino alone?? Jesus, let these people make some money!!! Native communities are notoriously less affluent, so many Peele complain admit government assistance, but when a tribe wants to open a business, there are still people who want to shut it down. For shame

daveoma wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2019 9:50 am

iamjacobm wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:20 am Still might have a fight on their hands.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story ... 049520002/

The $10 million Prairie Flower Casino opened in November with 200 slot-style machines after the National Indian Gaming Commission approved the tribe's casino license a year earlier, some 10 years after the tribe began its effort to open the casino. It's far from a novelty in the area: Three much larger casinos are just a few miles away, also in western Iowa. Yet the casino's location is central to the opposition to it, including lawsuits from the city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and the states of Iowa and Nebraska.

Also this isn't specific to this casino, but man Nebraska really just lets money flood out of the state with their archaic laws.

State and local officials don't want to give up any share of the millions in taxes, fees and endowment funds Council Bluffs' three casinos produce. In 2017, that public money came to nearly $95 million, according to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, and a large chunk comes from Nebraska residents. A 2013 study ordered by the commission found Nebraska residents spent nearly $327 million at Iowa casinos, one-quarter of revenues for the state.

Why can't they leave the Ponca and their small casino alone?? Jesus, let these people make some money!!! Native communities are notoriously less affluent, so many Peele complain admit government assistance, but when a tribe wants to open a business, there are still people who want to shut it down. For shame

Completely agreed. If a single person who plays there is somebody who wouldn't have ever gambled if the casino didn't exist I would be legitimately shocked. I'd rather the money be going to the Ponca tribe than the state of Iowa anyway

Prairie Flower Casino breaks ground on expansion

CARTER LAKE, Iowa (WOWT) - A casino is getting a 60,000-square-foot expansion. Monday the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska broke ground on an expansion of the Prairie Flower Casino in Carter Lake, Iowa. Prairie Flower Casino will still be accessible during the expansion. The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska expects the expansion to create 200 new jobs. “The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s investment in the Prairie Flower Casino has allowed our Tribe to increase critical services – like healthcare, job training and cultural preservation – for our Members, while providing high-quality entertainment in Carter Lake,” said Rebecca “Becci” Sullivan, Interim Chairwoman of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. The expansion’s groundbreaking comes on the Casino’s fourth anniversary and as the Ponca Tribe celebrates the 32nd anniversary of the Ponca Restoration Act, which extended federal recognition to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska.

Would the Indian Center land in Lincoln fall into the same classification? I'm not looking for a casino but allowing Tesla to sell, service and lease under tribal jurisdiction.

Indian Center Inc - 1100 Military Road (The land along Salt Creek and 10th) - Tax Exempt
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska - 2756 O St (Small office building) - Tax Exempt
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska - 1600 Windhoek Dr (40 Acres, old Black Hills Energy building by 16th and Old Cheney) - Taxable

Ponca Tribe Breaks Ground on Expansion Project for the Prairie Flower Casino

$28 million!? Wow! I'm really happy for the Ponca. Good for them

The la Quinta inn next door that has been closed for quite some time has been remodeled and will be re opening again next week.