The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska recently broke ground for an expansion project at Iowa’s Prairie Flower Casino. The Carter Lake location will add another 60,000 square feet to its casino.
The tribe anticipates the expansion will be finished by the summer of 2024.
Once completed, Prairie Flower Casino will be home to 70,000 square feet of gaming space and will triple its number of slot machines, bringing the final total to 600. The renovated space will also include a sportsbook, gastro pub, a center bar and additional retail space.
Guests can continue visiting the casino during the expansion. The current facility will remain open for the duration of the construction project.
The tribe hopes adding to Prairie Flower Casino can create an additional 200 jobs for local workers.
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Interim Chairwoman Rebecca Sullivan noted the impact the casino has made on the tribe’s economic and its ability to provide quality of life to its members.
She commented: “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.”
This year, the Ponca Tribe celebrates the 32nd anniversary of the Ponca Restoration Act, a document that has extended federal recognition to the tribe.
Prairie Flower Casino has been in operation since 2018. It sits near Eppley Airfield and is a few minutes driving distance away from downtown Omaha.
In honor of its fourth anniversary, the casino will hold a celebration tonight, where players will have the chance to win $1,000 in free play during a special drawing.
