Mid-America Center

Including Iowa metro counties.

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Brad
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by Brad »

skinzfan23 wrote:
Coyote wrote:4 tickets per family? That is ridiculous.
Sorry grandma and grandpa....you can't attend.
I was thinking there will be a lot of fighting between which in-law gets to go...
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skinzfan23
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

Parents Complain, OPS Listens and Moves 2015 Graduation To Iowa
On Friday, OPS officials made the decision to move all of its 2015 high school graduation ceremonies to the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.

According to OPS, the venue seats 7,000 people, which is a capacity similar to that of the Civic.

With this space, that means the familiar six per family ticket allowance is back on, with additional tickets available for $3 each.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Nuts. I was hoping to see what Ticket Master second hand Graduation tickets would sell for...
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Foundation seeks new use for MAC plaza
The Iowa West Foundation has purchased what is sometimes called the “spine” or the buildings in the center’s plaza, IWF President and CEO Pete Tulipana said Wednesday.
The purchase totaled $1.9 million. The intent is to seek entertainment-oriented businesses there, Tulipana said.
The buildings purchased offer 71,478 square feet of leasable space, he said.
Of that amount, 53,901 square feet is currently available.

Efforts to breathe new life into the buildings have just started, Tulipana said, but already “a couple of inquiries” are being looked into.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by icejammer »

The Plaza is in a separate thread: http://eomahaforums.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=882" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Brad
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by Brad »

Speaking of the MAC, the Great Train Expo is there this weekend!

January 24-25
Council Bluffs, IA
Mid America Center
Tickets are $10 at the door
Free Parking
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Re: Mid-America Center

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MAC events calendar filling up quickly
“Our calendar is stacked up through 2015,” said Mark Vacanti, general manager. “We have only a few open weekends left. In fact, we have only one open weekend between now and July 1. It’s a great story.”
In January, the MAC hosted 16 events, plus smaller meetings, that brought in a total of 43,379 people. Among the events were a model train show, a gymnastics event, a hunting and fishing expo and a bridal fair.
Today through Sunday, the MAC is home to the Tangier Shrine Circus, to be followed by an annual home improvement show and the Arenacross.
The MAC will host numerous Omaha high school graduations this spring, besides those of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln high school in Council Bluffs, Vacanti said.
A bridge tournament is set for the summer, he added.

“Over 130 events are booked between now and 2017, and many more are pending,” Vacanti said. “We have a lot of momentum.”
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Brad
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Wow, that's great news.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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MAC, River’s Edge Park projects move forward
An announcement might come next month about new development proposals in the Mid-America Center area.
The Iowa West Foundation committed $2 million to the renovation of that business district on Tuesday.
“Our goal is to serve as a catalyst to bring in added economic development to that area,” said the foundation’s president and CEO Pete Tulipana. “The original intent was for that area to be an entertainment center – things to do, places to go.”
Instead, that area, including the buildings in the center’s plaza – sometimes called the “spine” – are now under-utilized. Those buildings offer 71,478 square feet of leasable space. At last report, more than 50,000 square feet was available.
The foundation and a community task force has been “working hard” to identify best uses for the MAC area, Tulipana said.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Brad
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by Brad »

Great news for the MAC!
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skinzfan23
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

That is huge news. Looks like the FieldHouse USA is a large complex of basketball courts and indoor turf for soccer.

Wonder where this is all going. There is land just north of Springhill Suites and there is land east of the Horseshoe Casino.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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The Nonpareil said northwest of MAC.
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skinzfan23
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Here are some of the renderings:
Image
Image

Here is the current fieldhouse in TX.
Image
Image
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Iowa West, Council Bluffs unveil proposed rejuvenation near Mid-America Center
Pending City Council approval, construction is expected to begin next year on a sports recreation complex featuring eight hard courts as well as a full-service hotel near the MAC.

The total cost of the development is more than $30 million, with the Iowa West Foundation to serve as the master developer.

The total cost of the development is more than $30 million, with the Iowa West Foundation to serve as the master developer.

The proposal, unveiled at a press conference at the MAC this morning, calls for construction of a FieldhouseUSA indoor recreational facility featuring eight volleyball and basketball courts along with construction of a 130-room full-service Courtyard by Marriott hotel that will feature an in-house restaurant and bar. It will also be connected to the Mid-America Center.

The projected total construction cost for FieldhouseUSA is $13.7 million, while the projected total construction cost for the full-service Courtyard by Marriott hotel is $17.5 million. Tulipana said he anticipates an expansion of convention business as well as subsequent development in the surrounding area.

“These developments will serve as a stimulus for a currently underutilized but high-potential area in Council Bluffs,” he said.

The hotel will be approximately five acres in size and constructed in two phases, with 130 rooms initially and a goal of 250 to 300 rooms upon full completion. Each Fieldhouse USA tournament typically drives 375 hotel stays.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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At first I was terrified this would compete with the La Vista complex but apparently it won't rather it will compliment it. What a great get for the area.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

I know that CB was in the running for the LaVista complex at one time too. I bet after they didn't get that, they looked to see what other options they had. I think this is a great move on their part. And if the hotel does become 250-300 rooms, it will be the largest in CB. Currently the largest is Harrah's with 251 rooms.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Will individuals that vote against gambling in Nebraska stay away from this place? A very good portion was paid for with tax dollars from Nebraskan's. This is a great example of the whole community benefiting from allowing adults to chose how they are entertained.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by PotatoeEatsFish »

The arguments against legalizing gambling are the dumbest things I've ever heard.
#SaveTheUglyGrainSilos2024
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Re: Mid-America Center

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PotatoeEatsFish wrote:The arguments against legalizing gambling are the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Just look at the license plates in the casino parking lots! Quite a bit of revenue flowing across the river!
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Omababe wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:The arguments against legalizing gambling are the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Just look at the license plates in the casino parking lots! Quite a bit of revenue flowing across the river!
I completely agree with your premis but let's account for the population discrepancy. There are about 900,000 on the Nebraska side and 60,000 on the Iowa side.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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MTO wrote:
Omababe wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:The arguments against legalizing gambling are the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Just look at the license plates in the casino parking lots! Quite a bit of revenue flowing across the river!
I completely agree with your premis but let's account for the population discrepancy. There are about 900,000 on the Nebraska side and 60,000 on the Iowa side.
Which is why the casinos in CB couldn't get any closer to Nebraska. I'm amazed that there was never one built in Carter Lake.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by nebugeater »

NovakOmaha wrote:
MTO wrote:
Omababe wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:The arguments against legalizing gambling are the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Just look at the license plates in the casino parking lots! Quite a bit of revenue flowing across the river!
I completely agree with your premis but let's account for the population discrepancy. There are about 900,000 on the Nebraska side and 60,000 on the Iowa side.
Which is why the casinos in CB couldn't get any closer to Nebraska. I'm amazed that there was never one built in Carter Lake.
They started as being as close to Nebraska as possible because they had to be Riverboats at the start. Correct me if I am wrong.
For the record  NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER    !!!!!!!
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Or slots on the bridge.
Image
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by GRANDPASMUCKER »

nebugeater wrote:
NovakOmaha wrote:
MTO wrote:
Omababe wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:The arguments against legalizing gambling are the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Just look at the license plates in the casino parking lots! Quite a bit of revenue flowing across the river!
I completely agree with your premis but let's account for the population discrepancy. There are about 900,000 on the Nebraska side and 60,000 on the Iowa side.
Which is why the casinos in CB couldn't get any closer to Nebraska. I'm amazed that there was never one built in Carter Lake.
They started as being as close to Nebraska as possible because they had to be Riverboats at the start. Correct me if I am wrong.
I remember back in about 1993 when they were trying to get the citizens of Pott County to vote to allow Gambling in the county. I had a friend who was in management at Sitel. Sitel had 100 people telemarketing Pott County 12 hours a day for weeks. They kept a list of anyone who was against legalizing gambling and would call them every other day trying to convince them to vote yes for gambling. This went on for about 2 months. My friend said the campaign must of cost over a million dollars and then some. Strange thing was that the entities trying to get the gambling passed on the ballott claimed they spent less then 100,000 dollars on the campaign. There was a whole lot of skulldugery involved in getting those those casinos in the Bluffs.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by Garrett »

NovakOmaha wrote:
MTO wrote:
Omababe wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:The arguments against legalizing gambling are the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Just look at the license plates in the casino parking lots! Quite a bit of revenue flowing across the river!
I completely agree with your premis but let's account for the population discrepancy. There are about 900,000 on the Nebraska side and 60,000 on the Iowa side.
Which is why the casinos in CB couldn't get any closer to Nebraska. I'm amazed that there was never one built in Carter Lake.
Don't remember a few years back when a Native American tribe tried to?
OMA-->CHI-->NYC
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Garrett wrote:Don't remember a few years back when a Native American tribe tried to?
Yes, there was some non-legacy tribally-owned land not that far from N--O-D-O. IIRC, Boyd was a consultant on the project. I don't remember the details but politics killed it.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by Trips »

This should be in a general Casino thread but here it is. Based on 2014 annual reports.

Total Iowa Casino Attendance: 15,198,920
# on Nebraskan's: 23.4% (3,556,332)

Council Bluffs + Hard Rock Attendance: 4,945,000
% Nebraskan's at 4 casino's : 71.9% (Based on a Nebraskan never visiting another Iowa Casino)

Iowa Casino's also employ 1,182 from Nebraska and the average pay is $29,799 (Includes Part-Time workers)

Based on this I would say the parking lots across the river are about 68% Nebraska cars.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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68% sounds about right. I'll do a quick count tonight if I remember.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Which is why the casinos in CB couldn't get any closer to Nebraska. I'm amazed that there was never one built in Carter Lake.
Pat Loontjer's head would explode (and then we could get on with the business of establishing a casino in Omaha).
Shoot for the Moon... if you miss, you'll land among the stars.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by Omababe »

Omababe wrote:68% sounds about right. I'll do a quick count tonight if I remember.
Very informal non-scientific poll of the cars between mine and the front Horseshoe door about 8:45pm.

Out of 16 cars in the row, only 3 were Iowa. The rest were Nebraska. 81%.

LOL, I thought of doing a count of Husker vs. Hawkeye apparel but didn't. :) :) :)
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by NovakOmaha »

Stargazer wrote:
Which is why the casinos in CB couldn't get any closer to Nebraska. I'm amazed that there was never one built in Carter Lake.
Pat Loontjer's head would explode (and then we could get on with the business of establishing a casino in Omaha).
Did anyone else wonder what Pat does in the off season? (The time periods between votes on expanding gambling)
Slogan fishing, huddling with the owh on strategy, spending time at Harrah's with sunglasses and a big hat, etc.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Aerial Photo Update

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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

Wow, there is still so much land available down there.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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Indoor rec center, full-service hotel moving forward
A public hearing on a development agreement between the city and the Iowa West Foundation, the master developer for the project, is set for the next City Council meeting on Monday, Feb. 22, City Attorney Richard Wade said. Also on that agenda, the council will be asked to approve a replat of the general area dividing one large lot, which includes the MAC, into several smaller one for future purchase.

Several months ago, the Iowa West Foundation presented plans for an indoor recreational facility featuring 12 volleyball and eight basketball courts, along with construction of a 130-room full-service Courtyard by Marriott hotel that would feature room service, an in-house restaurant and a bar. The hotel will be connected to the Mid-America Center.

The Iowa West Foundation will invest approximately $7 million in construction of a building in the parking area northwest of the Mid-America Center’s arena that will be leased to Texas-based FieldhouseUSA.
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Re: Mid-America Center

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City Council approved the replat of land, dividing it into several smaller sections so it can be sold to develop the Fieldhouse and Courtyard hotel.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

From the Nonpareil article about the city council voting on the development agreement.
With council approval of the agreement, MAC Ventures is expected to purchase the fieldhouse and hotel grounds quickly.
Good to hear, hopefully they can move quickly into the construction phase. This facility should do well for the metro.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

The city council hasn't approved the development yet. They are leaving open a public hearing until April 25. The main concern is the length of TIF for the project (18 years) and the city having to provide and maintain all parking areas at no cost to the businesses.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

Iowa West reduced the amt of TIF years from 18 to 15 and to also partner with the city if a new parking lot is needed. Sounds like the City Council will approve it this time.
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Re: Mid-America Center

Post by skinzfan23 »

City Council approved, construction should start very soon on the complex. Glad to hear.
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