Blast from the past

[NovakOmaha]

Guest 10/18/2011:  I heard through a reliable source that there is a new entertainment option coming to Council Bluffs.   Apparently, the new business is going to have a cafe/ice cream parlor along with an upscale miniature golf course.   From what I've heard, it's supposed to be super nice.    The cafe/ice cream parlor is going to have indoor as well as outdoor seating that overlooks the miniature golf course and a small lake.   It doesn't sound like there is going to be an arcade or go-karts, but instead it's going to have remote controlled boats, shuffleboard, and an area with several large outdoor chess boards.   The developer wants to cater to people of all ages, not just young families and teenagers.   My friend, who's seen the plans said the whole place is going to be beautifully landscaped with lots of upscale water features and lighting.   He said this is not going to be your typical miniature golf course with tacky themes.  It's going to be much more sophisticated.   As for location, all I was told is that it is going to be in a "highly visible location".   A spring 2013 opening is expected.

OmaRealtor68 10/19/2011:  The developer of this business was looking at the whole C.B./Omaha metro area.    They were originally looking at a location in C.B., but it is going to be built in Omaha.   An announcement about this project should be coming soon.   All I can say is that this business will be tied in with another development that has several other entertainment venues.    It should fit in nicely.  

OMARealtor68 10/27/2011:  The new entertainment business is going to be the "centerpiece" of a new "European style" project that will soon be announced.   The project will take a real urban feel, will include a "main street" that will include shops and eateries at street level, and condos and offices above.    There will be one luxury hotel, possibly two, a theater for concerts and plays, and a park/festival area.  I can't say too much, but the project is going to have a really cool transportation system.  This project is going to be huge.   Construction will come in several phases and take several years for the whole project to be completed.

OAMReator68 10/27/2011:   Oh, and just so you don't get too excited, there are no high rise towers in the development, but most buildings will be between five and eight floors.    The luxury hotel will be a little taller.

OMARealtor68 10/27/2011:  Yes, all those projects did end up disappointing us all, but I think this project will have a very different outcome.    The developer has a good track record and is backed by some companies who are sitting on some huge piles of cash right now.   The economy is bound to improve in the years to come, and the developer would be smart to take advantage of the lower construction costs now days while the economy is still in the toilet.    I think this is going to be an exciting project.   It's something different.  It's a nice project that will help attract new residents, employers, and visitors our city.

OMARealtor68 10/27/2011:  Okay, so I guess we got off the subject a little.   This forum is about a new entertainment business coming to Omaha, not about the much larger project it will be a part of.   I guess all your questions about the larger project will be answered soon enough when an announcement is made public.

OMARealtor68 10/28/2011:  
300 acres
450,000 sq ft retail
2 anchor stores completely new to the Omaha market
3 parking structures (1600 spaces each)
3000 seat theater
600,000 sq ft office space
900 condo units
1,800 apartment units
600 hotel rooms
30 acres park space

OMARealtor68 10/30/2011:  I thought this would be pretty obvious to all of you that this development is going to be built in a suburban part of Omaha.    Obviously, no one would acquire 300 acres downtown for this.    Just so you know, the area where this project is going is an open field right now.   Yes, this is a crazy amount of money to spend in this economy, but like I mentioned before, many smart developers are taking advantage of the low cost of construction right now.    Once the economy takes off, the cost of construction material and labor goes way up.  They realize that the market is going to improve in a few years and they want to get ahead of the the other developers.   This project is going to be built over many years.   It's not like they are going to build all those condos right away.   It's going to be built over several phases.

OMARealtor68 11/1/2011:  Yes, projects like this in this economy would usually have a tough time getting funded, but like I said before, the developer of this project is backed by companies that are sitting on a ton of cash right now.  Those companies also plan to occupy a good portion of the 600,000 sq ft of office space.   There are going to be a ton of high paying jobs coming to town.   Unlike all the other projects you mentioned, this one is going to come with a ton of jobs right from the start and I think the city will do whatever it takes to make sure this project goes through with no problems.   Not only will this project be a destination, it will also be a place where you can live, work, and play.  It's going to be pretty cool.

OMARealtor68 11/1/2011:  I can see why any city would be jealous of Omaha getting this development.   It's going to have multiple phases that will cost over 500 million dollars each and it's going to bring several thousand high paying jobs to town.

Guest 11/3/2011:  I can't tell you for sure, but an announcement should come soon.   I am guessing this will probably take place in January or February.   I got a look at the plans last night and they are quite impressive.   This project will be first class all the way.     The Old World European architectural style used throughout the project and they paid fine attention to detail.   No fake facades here.  The street scape is beautiful, and it's really cool how they incorporate a streetcar system that loops around throughout the development to move people around.  If you live in the condos or apartments in tree lined neighborhoods, you can take the street car to the main street area to go out to eat, see a concert or go to work.   If you are visiting, you can hop on a street car at the hotel or at all three parking garages.    The theater is located in the center of the main street area.   The miniature golf business looks like a beautiful park and is located directly across the street from the theater.   There is retail located on both sides of the main street with retail at street level.   Some of the retail space will have two levels.    The two anchor stores are located on both ends of the main street area.   Both are over 100,000 sq ft and look to be three floors of retail.    Offices and condos occupy four to six floors above all retail areas.     The luxury hotel looks like it's 12 stories tall and will be the tallest building on the main street.   There is space designated for a second luxury hotel and designated space right off the main street for a grocery store and a large recreation/fitness center which are also connected to the street car system.  There are tree lined neighborhoods with condos and apartments, all in the Old World European architectural style.  There are two corporate headquarter office campuses.   Both have some very good sized buildings and parking structures.   Some buildings appear to be around 10 stories tall.  

Some information I have learned...there are TWO huge companies that will make there corporate headquarters here in this development.   A THIRD corporate headquarters is in the works.    All three of these companies are backing the construction of this development.   One of the companies is also looking at building two large manufacturing plants in other parts of Omaha that could create several thousand more jobs.     The two retail anchors are completely new to the area.    One is considered to be pretty high end.    The other moderate to high end.   The luxury hotel will also be a new brand to Omaha.
A grocery chain has already expressed interest in this development (it's not Walmart).  There will be five phases of construction over a ten year time period.   The first phase construction cost will be over 700 million dollars.   Something else I didn't know...there is an additional 90 acres attached to the 300 that are labeled "future development expansion".

OMARealtor68 11/3/2011:  Make all the jokes you want, but you will soon find out this is all true and we'll be able to move this out of the rumors section.

OMARealtor68 11/3/2011:  I'm guessing some of the moderators already know about this project.   This development isn't a complete secret.   There are plenty of people in real estate, people on the city council, planning boards, and architectural design firms around town that must know about this project.

OMARelator68 11/4/2011:  I'm sure the developer and the companies that are locating here looked at all areas of our city.    They probably researched what area of our city has the most residents with a higher education.    They determined what area has the most income per household so it can support higher end restaurants and retail.    They look at where crime is low.     They determined what area has the best traffic access to their development.   They probably looked at land costs and the availability of land for a project of this scale.   They probably looked at what area would be best to attract other office tenants and new retailers.   After researching all their options, they must have determined the suburban location is best suited for their project.

OMARealtor68 11/7/2011:  I can't tell you for sure when the developer or the companies involved will make an announcement, but I am guessing it's going to be early 2012.   It will be a nice way to start off the new year.

OMARealtor68 11/7/2011:  Yes, 60-90 days sounds about right.

OMARealtor68 11/8/2011:  Okay....so we didn't get our proposed Wall Street Tower or our very own amusement park.   Does that mean that we have to doubt any other proposed development?    Instead of saying "there is no way this project could be built in Omaha", why not say "why shouldn't they build this project in Omaha?"  Omaha is a growing and changing city.    Just take a look at all the huge changes that have taken place in Omaha over the past 10-15 years.....we got a huge new convention center, new hotels all around town, town centers, Midtown Crossing, the downtown stadium, riverfront development, new medical facilities, improvements to our transportation system, I could go on and on.    Why is there so much doubt that this project can happen here?

OMARealtor68 11/8/2011:  This development is different than Coventry.   This development is going to be completely built by the developer and the companies involved.   They are not just putting in some streets, sewer, and lights hoping to sell some lots.    As soon as this project gets all the approvals, they are going to start construction immediately on the two corporate headquarters and infrastructure.   Phase 1 will start immediately.   Like I mentioned before, construction will come in many phases and could take up to ten years to complete.

Phase 1........Construction of Main Street Buildings (Retail at street level, condos, apartments, offices above) and one parking structure.
                 This is the phase when the entertainment center will also be built.   Street car construction begins

Phase 2........Construction of two additional parking structures, theater, luxury hotel, and two anchor stores, and condos/apartments

Phase 3........Construction of condo/apartment neighborhoods, additional office buildings, community plaza, neighborhood parks

Phase 4........Construction of condo/apartment neighborhoods, clock tower, and festival area.   Street car system completed

Phase 5........Construction of second luxury hotel, one additional retail anchor, condo/neighborhoods, and additional office buildings

Phase 6........Development of additional land which could include more retail, hotel, office, condo/apartments, and street car expansion

OMARealtor68 11/8/2011:  Developer and one of the companies involved is from the West Coast.   Second company which is also looking at building two huge plants here in Omaha is a Midwest Company.   Possible third company is from the West Coast.

OMARealtor68:  11/9/2011:  I know you all find this really hard to believe.  Just wait for a series of announcements to come in the coming months ahead.   The developer and the companies involved have no intention of asking for TIF money.   They're not going to ask for help from the city or state.   From what I've heard, the two companies from the West Coast are so tired of dealing with the government and the cost of doing business out there that they are anxious to settle in their new home here in Nebraska.    They're not going to ask for the city to buy the land for them.   They aren't going to ask the city to build an interchange on the interstate and a six lane road to their development.   Where this project is going, I don't think there is going to be any objection from anyone.   The approval process should go quickly.   First of all, this is too big of a project for the city to screw up with all these new high paying jobs coming and all the tax revenue this project will generate.    I still find it really hard to believe that I am the only one here that knows about this project.   I know several people in the real estate business here know about this.

OMArealtor68 11/9/2011:  No, I didn't mean Dallas instead of Omaha.   This just proves that things like this can happen, even in this economy.   The economy will improve in a few years, and developers want to be ready when the spending goes back into full gear again.    Also, like I mentioned, construction costs are at their lowest level right now.   It's the best time to get the most for your money.

OMArealtor68 12/21/2011:  I attended a company Christmas party last night.   This project was brought up again last night.   The way it sounds, a big announcement is going to be made in early February.   I didn't learn a whole lot more because the guests that seemed to know all the details weren't giving out much details.   All that was said is that this project is going to generate "several thousand high paying jobs", there are indeed two companies that are moving their corporate headquarters here, and a third company is seriously researching the possibilities of relocating their corporate headquarters to this development but have also been looking at several locations downtown.

OMArealtor68 12/22/2011:  Just because someone chooses not to register doesn't mean that person is a full of it.   I might choose to remain anonymous for lots of different reasons.  I guess you guys will finally start to believe me when some of the announcements start coming out in February.   As for this project, there is no industrial portion to it.   One of the companies that will be building their corporate office here also has plans to build one large manufacturing plant elsewhere in the metro.   It will require a good access to the interstate as well as lots of rail access.   The manufacturing jobs created will be good paying jobs.   The number of manufacturing jobs they plan that I've heard they will create are anywhere between 800 to 1,200.

Guest 1/12/2012:   Announcements coming soon:

Automotive Company moving corporate headquarters to Omaha.   The company is also looking at the possibility of building a large manufacturing facility in Omaha.  

A large financial investment company will be moving it's corporate headquarter to Omaha.

A major health care company will be building a corporate campus and large service center in Omaha.

Plans for the retail portion of this project will be released.   It will be announced who will occupy two anchor spaces.  The luxury hotel details and name will be announced.   A Las Vegas company is doing the retail portion of this project.  It will consist of a theater, space for up to 60 retailers, restaurants, plazas, and entertainment district.

Details will be released on the housing portion of this project.   Four companies will be involved with construction of condominiums and apartments.   These construction companies are based in Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Phoenix.   Housing will consist of themed neighborhoods with small parks and amenity centers.

Guest 2/8/2012:  Some of the first announcements should be coming out soon.   I now know who will occupy the two anchor stores.   Both are new to the Omaha market and lots of other cities are going to be so jealous.

OMArealtor68 2/23/2012:  Just so you know, this project is not dead.   There has been a few set backs, but it's still going to happen.   Announcements have been put on hold while some details are being ironed out, but I was told that most likely the first announcements could come as soon as May.   From what I hear the set backs have nothing to do with financing, but has something to do with some changes that had to be made to the site plan.

OMArealtor68 3/13/2012:  This project is dead. ...at least here in Omaha.  The developers and corporations have run into too many snags and are working together to bring this project elsewhere.  Cities being considered are Des Moines, Kansas City, and Lincoln.

OMArealtor68 3/13/2012:  Projects, big and small, run into snags all the time.  There can be environmental impact issues, land acquisition problems, adjoining property owner oppositions, easement issues, etc..   Somehow, when I posted that this project was dead, I knew that I would get thrown under the bus.

[Omababe]

And ... ... ???

[Big E]

And ... ... ???

I second that.  I feel like we got cheated out of a good sh!tshow here.

[NovakOmaha]

If you read the novelized version above it's a pretty interesting look inside the person's mind.

I'd like to know how old the kid is.

[almighty_tuna]

I moved this from Rumors to Bar & Grill.

[S33]

If you read the novelized version above it's a pretty interesting look inside the person's mind.

I'd like to know how old the kid is.

lol! Let's do this a different way... Put together a novelized version of all of us who bought it, got excited, then totally crushed when finding out it was all bogus. I don't mean to brag or anything, but I knew it was sh*t all along. : )

[Linkin5]

So Novak you are trolling by quoting the original troll?  What is your fascination by this?

[jessep28]

Here are some commercials which aired on KETV in 1984 someone put up. It's mostly national stuff, but there are some local commercials and station bumpers in here too. There's a Newswatch 7 promo with KETV era Jim Flowers at the 10:18 mark.

[youtube][/youtube]

[nativeomahan]

OMG!  What a trip down memory lane.  The Dow Jones was just topping 1,600!