Kraus-Anderson wraps construction of casino in Iowa

Kraus-Anderson Construction has completed construction of the first phase of the Prairie Flower Casino for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. The casino is located on the tribe’s sovereign land in Carter Lake, Iowa, a northwest suburb of Omaha.

The 9,500-square-foot gaming facility opened Nov. 1 and will feature 200 slot-style games. Table games will not be present. A full-service bar will be located in the casino, along with a snack bar.

The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska has nearly 4,300 tribal citizens, with almost half residing in the states of Iowa and Nebraska.

The Prairie Flower Casino expects to initially hire about 100 individuals to staff the facility.

In addition to construction, Kraus-Anderson Development has been providing development services to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska for the past two years, including the acquisition of property for the tribal headquarters, a future 85,000-square-foot medical and wellness clinic in Omaha, and land search and city entitlements for tribal use of the site.

KA has also supplied development and entitlement services for approval of the first phase of the Prairie Flower Casino and is currently working on development services for a future expansion, which will provide more entertainment, jobs and economic development for the region.

The name Prairie Flower has a special meaning to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. Standing Bear, a former Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Chief, who in 1879 successfully argued in federal court that his people were persons within the meaning of habeas corpus, had a daughter named Prairie Flower. Prairie Flower passed away during the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s forced removal from their land to Oklahoma.