And, as they say in horse-racing circles, they're off.

Thoroughbred owners and others interested in establishing a mile-long track next to the Lancaster Event Center property are galloping out of the starting gate.

They retained Euing Cole, based in Philadelphia and designers of the Phillies' new baseball stadium, and are ready to explore the pony and associated possibilities at 84th Street and Havelock Avenue.

JoAnne Kissel, part of the master planning team for Lincoln's Clark Enersen Partners, said next Tuesday marks the start of detail work on what was portrayed earlier as a $50 million project on Lincoln's eastern outskirts.

"That's what the next several months will be about," Kissel said, "and I'd say, by next summer, there will be a decision on whether to go forward or not."

Groups involved include the community leaders organized as 2015 Vision, as well as the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association and the University of Nebraska, owner of real estate in the target area.

The idea of horse racing across the street from the Event Center was originally part of the 2015 Vision package for moving the state fair to the same location.

Now the fair is bound for Grand Island instead, and racing fans can look forward to just three more seasons at State Fair Park.

After that, the university is expected to withdraw the welcome mat as it converts the property to a research campus.

Lynne Schuller of the horsemen's group is among many who would like to have an alternative in place, or at least in the works, by then.

"We're really hoping that it works out that we can share facilities and those types of things with the Lancaster Event Center," Schuller said.

Euing Cole is suited to that mission, she said.

"They've done numerous, numerous racetrack projects all over the country. The big attraction is they've done riding arenas, horse show projects, and that's what we're really hoping to bring together in one location."

Jerry Fudge of Ashland, president of the horsemen's group, said the earlier $50 million estimate should probably be tossed on the scrap heap now. The important cost figures are the ones that emerge from this point forward.

But the interest of thoroughbred enthusiasts in the mile track -- as opposed to the 5/8-mile oval at the fairgrounds -- is still there.

"It's safer for horses and riders," he said. "And we get a chance to attract better horses and, therefore, increase our wagering handle."

One way to define the extremes on the horse racing future in Lincoln is no horse racing at all, or a new format with new forms of gambling at tracks and an accompanying change in state law.

Wiping out more than a month's worth of racing dates in Lincoln is not on the horsemen's list of acceptable alternatives, Schuller said, "because they're the second largest market in Nebraska in terms of racing revenue. And simulcasting revenue really supports live racing."

On the other hand, Nebraska voters have always shown a more conservative attitude toward expanding gambling than their counterparts in Iowa, Oklahoma and other states.

In any case, Kissel said, "we all know this is a real critical location for horse racing to be able to survive throughout the whole state."

Ron Snover, managing director of the Lancaster Event Center, said "next door to us would be a good fit."

But keeping race horses in some portion of the event center's 1,200-plus stalls in the spring and summer may not be part of it.

"The main thing about it is that, at the time of year when they're running horses, we're using our stalls," Snover said.

Snover is open to developments that might boost accommodations for the recently booked Women's Professional Rodeo Association world finals and other growing ambitions at the Event Center.

"My use of their stalls," he said of any nearby horse-racing headquarters, "would be better than them using mine."

Reach Art Hovey at 473-7223 or at ahovey@journalstar.com.