Attracting newsworthy events with more than $2 billion in new developments AT A GLANCE
Convention facilities • The 250,000-square-foot CenturyLink Center Omaha includes an 18,300-seat arena.
Hotel rooms citywide • More than 13,000
Hotel rooms within a mile of the convention center • More than 2,300
Above and beyond The longest pedestrian bridge to link two states, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge stretches 3,000 feet over the Missouri River.
Since opening its doors in September 2003, CenturyLink Center Omaha has served as the centerpiece to Downtown Omaha’s $2-billion-plus riverfront revitalization. The venue includes not only the city’s convention center but also an 18,300-seat arena and the new, 24,000-seat TD Ameritrade Park Omaha stadium next door. When visitors step out- side the convention center, they’ll find the hip NoDo area, known for its thriving music and cultural scene; and just blocks away, Omaha’s Old Market — a historic dining, shopping, and entertainment district — adds another recreational option close to the multi-venue complex. Some recent events have put Omaha in the national spotlight, including the 2012 U.S.
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Olympic Swim Trials, the Annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting, and the NCAA Division I Men’s College World Series, which Omaha will host for the next 25 years. As a result, some big-time changes are tak- ing place downtown. In 2011, the $140-million TD Ameritrade Park Omaha stadium opened, and in addition to hosting the College World Series, the venue hosts outdoor concerts and offers flexibility for a variety of events. Four hotels have recently opened nearby — Fair- field Inn & Suites Omaha Downtown, Holiday Inn Omaha Downtown-Airport, Homewood Suites by Hilton Omaha-Downtown, and Hampton Inn & Suites Omaha-Downtown. A number of new restaurants and retail stores have also popped up within walking distance
of the stadium and convention center. From hotels to new venues and attrac-
tions, Omaha continues to grow, and much of that growth can be found downtown. The 600-room Hilton Omaha, connected via sky- walk to the convention center, recently com- pleted a $35-million renovation, and nearby in the Old Market, a 159-room Hyatt Place will open in 2014. In all, Omaha has more than 13,000 hotel rooms, 2,300 of which are within walking distance of the CenturyLink Center Omaha.
For more information: Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau — Cathy Keller, Director of Sales; (402) 444-4660 or (866) 937-6624; ckeller@ visitomaha.com; visitomaha.com/meetings