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Council committee creates regional entertainment overlay, requires reapproval of historic horse‑racing uses; childcare buffer sparks concern
Summary
The committee advanced a zoning package to regulate historic horse‑racing (gaming centers) by creating four 'regional entertainment' overlay areas and requiring reapproval of existing nonconforming facilities; a 500‑foot buffer from licensed child‑care centers (including those in multi‑tenant buildings under the planning commission change) would make two current venues ineligible, prompting industry and council requests to revisit that change.
The Public Services Committee advanced a broad zoning amendment on June 1 that would create a new "regional entertainment" (RE) overlay district, define "gaming center" as a distinct land use, and require certain historic horse‑racing activities outside the overlay to seek reapproval by Dec. 31, 2027.
Planning Director Charles Bloom said the package was drafted to mirror recent state statute changes and to shift approvals of new or nonconforming historic horse‑racing facilities away from the appointed Board of Adjustment and to the elected governing body. The ordinance identifies four RE overlay areas — 15th Street (the 15th Street experience), the Reed Rail corridor, the West Lincoln Way corridor and the High Plains Road/Interstate interchange — where gaming centers would be permitted by right and encouraged by incentives.
Outside those overlay areas, gaming centers would remain subject to special‑use approval by the governing body and to development standards that include a 500‑foot separation from elementary and secondary schools, licensed child‑care centers, places of worship and public parks. Planning commission changes to the draft expanded the child‑care buffer to include child‑care operations in multi‑tenant buildings; Bloom said that change would render two existing facilities (Derby Club at Persing and Derby Club at Ridge Road) ineligible for reapproval, a result industry representatives brought to the committee's attention.
Tracy Lake, general counsel to Wyoming Downs and 307 Horse Racing, urged the committee to revert the buffer change to planning staff's original framing (applying the 500‑foot separation only to standalone licensed child‑care facilities). She said the Persian facility represents about $20 million in investment and the Ridge Road location more than $4 million, and that both have generated tax revenue for the city; she asked the committee to preserve operators' ability to reapply. Other council members and speakers said the ordinance is complex and suggested a work session or further outreach to affected operators and stakeholders.
Council members said the ordinance's goal is to bring decisions about location under elected review and to encourage siting in four identified corridors; they also signaled willingness to consider a staff substitute that reverts planning commission modifications if the governing body prefers the original staff approach. The committee voted to forward the ordinance to the full council for final action.
