The unique partnership that has brought casino gambling to Lincoln and promises to deliver a transformative entertainment complex to the city didn’t come together as a sure bet.

Leaders from Ho-Chunk, the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, and the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association first shared a table a decade ago when the horsemen’s group needed cash to maintain a presence in Lincoln with the end of State Fair Park.

It sold Atokad, the shell of the longtime horse track in South Sioux City, to Ho-Chunk, which made the purchase as a strategic move.

Ho-Chunk, you see, was eyeing a casino license in downtown Sioux City, Iowa, at the time, and it saw Atokad as a long-range competitive threat should wagering become legal in Nebraska.