Omaha Forums

Mahoney State Park

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/New- ... 93321.html

Some good news for people who enjoy staying in cabins at Mahoney State Park over the summer, construction is underway for three new cabins.

Currently they have 54 cabins and those are very popular. The new cabins will have six bedrooms.

Good news, probably need more. These things are next to impossible to book.

Just saw this on WOWT. They sound very popular. Have seen them, but have never rented one. Made me think though...

Coyote wrote:Just saw this on WOWT. They sound very popular. Have seen them, but have never rented one. Made me think though...

My extended family gets them for 2 nights every summer as a sort of mini vacation to get everyone together. It is INSANE to try and get the dates you want in the summer. You have to book a year in advance to the day no earlier and the phone lines open up in the morning at 9(I think) my Grandma and 4 Aunts are all on their cell phones calling and two family members are online trying to get in right when the clock hits. Even then we have had times that we have to try the next day and the next day. Sometimes you can get lucky if someone canceled one during the year and pick up one for an earlier date, but getting those things is cut throat.

Edi: Also when ?I searched for Mahoney I didn't realize that this was in the photography thread.

They must be putting a ton of effort into this location; the Parker's didn't renew their contract with Mohoney State Park...

Mahoney is a problem location. Kind of snake bit. I wonder if they are simply refining their business model to concentrate on BBQ.

Yeah, there's been several groups that tried out there.

Greg

The state park needs to market the restaurant independently of meetings and group outings, and that means keep it open past 8 pm. Food needs to be non-industrial. I wonder if they should consider a deal with Metro's Culinary school to provide a working lab for chefs to develop rapid prepared fresh food in the context of a place that has both rushes and slow steady business.

bigredmed wrote:The state park needs to market the restaurant independently of meetings and group outings, and that means keep it open past 8 pm.  Food needs to be non-industrial.  I wonder if they should consider a deal with Metro's Culinary school to provide a working lab for chefs to develop rapid prepared fresh food in the context of a place that has both rushes and slow steady business.

I completely agree. Even when Parker's ran it, it was better, but still very basic and mass produced. They should have just ran with the regular Parker's menu.

Brad wrote:

bigredmed wrote:The state park needs to market the restaurant independently of meetings and group outings, and that means keep it open past 8 pm.  Food needs to be non-industrial.  I wonder if they should consider a deal with Metro's Culinary school to provide a working lab for chefs to develop rapid prepared fresh food in the context of a place that has both rushes and slow steady business.

I completely agree.  Even when Parker's ran it, it was better, but still very basic and mass produced.  They should have just ran with the regular Parker's menu.

I don't know too much about Mahoney's Grille, but isn't this more of a catering contract? Is there a full restaurant kitchen there? I've had Sunday brunch there several times and it was mostly buffet style sterno warmers IIRC...

Mahoney State Park food service providers let contract end

http://www.omaha.com/outdoors/mahoney-s ... f13a5.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

David Hendee / World-Herald staff writer wrote:Mahoney Grille, operated by Jeff and Emily Parker of Parker’s Smokehouse of Ashland, Nebraska, chose not to extend its contract option, ending services to the park. The Parkers took over the operation in February 2012. Their last day at the park was Jan. 4.

David Hendee / World-Herald staff writer wrote:Jim Swenson, parks administrator, said the Parkers and Mahoney Grille were great partners.

Either run it as a catering shop with a diner for the park, or go hard core and swing for the fence. This is the same as the old market's challenge. Why drive all that way for a burger that tastes like has been sitting in a steam table for hours?

I was talking with one of the people that I believe was the owner at the Ashland Location about the time it was announced that they were going to take over th e park. I asked about menu and from what I remember from the conversation is that the contract somewhat defined the menu and they didn't have the option of doing the same thing as at the smokehouses.

I heard something similar.

bigredmed wrote:Either run it as a catering shop with a diner for the park, or go hard core and swing for the fence.  This is the same as the old market's challenge.  Why drive all that way for a burger that tastes like has been sitting in a steam table for hours?

We were in the Black Hills last September. We ate at the restaurant in the State Game Lodge. It had a huge crowd. It didn't serve steam table blah. I had an Elk steak and my wife had pheasant stuffed with wild boar sausage. Mahoney should aim for that level of cuisine. People will drive from Omaha or Lincoln for that. If South Dakota can make it work, why can't Nebraska?

bigredmed wrote:We were in the Black Hills last September.  We ate at the restaurant in the State Game Lodge.  It had a huge crowd. It didn't serve steam table blah.  I had an Elk steak and my wife had pheasant stuffed with wild boar sausage.  Mahoney should aim for that level of cuisine.  People will drive from Omaha or Lincoln for that. If South Dakota can make it work, why can't Nebraska?

That would be great!

bigredmed wrote:

bigredmed wrote:Either run it as a catering shop with a diner for the park, or go hard core and swing for the fence.  This is the same as the old market's challenge.  Why drive all that way for a burger that tastes like has been sitting in a steam table for hours?

We were in the Black Hills last September.  We ate at the restaurant in the State Game Lodge.  It had a huge crowd. It didn't serve steam table blah.  I had an Elk steak and my wife had pheasant stuffed with wild boar sausage.  Mahoney should aim for that level of cuisine.  People will drive from Omaha or Lincoln for that. If South Dakota can make it work, why can't Nebraska?

Well, depending on where you were, the Black Hills are a much larger draw than Mahoney is.

Garrett wrote:

bigredmed wrote:

bigredmed wrote:Either run it as a catering shop with a diner for the park, or go hard core and swing for the fence.  This is the same as the old market's challenge.  Why drive all that way for a burger that tastes like has been sitting in a steam table for hours?

We were in the Black Hills last September.  We ate at the restaurant in the State Game Lodge.  It had a huge crowd. It didn't serve steam table blah.  I had an Elk steak and my wife had pheasant stuffed with wild boar sausage.  Mahoney should aim for that level of cuisine.  People will drive from Omaha or Lincoln for that. If South Dakota can make it work, why can't Nebraska?

Well, depending on where you were, the Black Hills are a much larger draw than Mahoney is.

True, but given the wealth living within a 25 mile circle of MSP, making it a real attraction for food would get some people off the interstate and would get people from Gretna, Ashland, Elkhorn, and west Omaha to go there again.

So Brian, owner of the Salty Dog, and his chef posted a photo of Mahoney State Park and said “Here we come Nebraska”. So i’m Guessing may he he is going to run the restaurant in the lodge?

Brad wrote:So Brian, owner of the Salty Dog, and his chef posted a photo of Mahoney State Park and said “Here we come Nebraska”. So i’m Guessing may he he is going to run the restaurant in the lodge?

THe restaurant has been empty for a while. I was at an all day meeting out there about two weeks ago and the noon meal was catered in by HyVee using the restaurant area for seating.

nebugeater wrote:

Brad wrote:So Brian, owner of the Salty Dog, and his chef posted a photo of Mahoney State Park and said “Here we come Nebraska”. So i’m Guessing may he he is going to run the restaurant in the lodge?

THe restaurant has been empty for a while. I was at an all day meeting out there about two weeks ago and the noon meal was catered in by HyVee using the restaurant area for seating.

Good luck. This place could be vibrant like it was in the 90s. It could be a great place for an over night date night with a sunset meal over looking the Platte, good food, some nice wine or other adult beverages and a lodge room with a fireplace, dessert, and the remaining bottle of wine. Going to have to have something that makes it worth driving all the way there. Hope they are successful.

bigredmed1 wrote:

nebugeater wrote:

Brad wrote:So Brian, owner of the Salty Dog, and his chef posted a photo of Mahoney State Park and said “Here we come Nebraska”. So i’m Guessing may he he is going to run the restaurant in the lodge?

THe restaurant has been empty for a while. I was at an all day meeting out there about two weeks ago and the noon meal was catered in by HyVee using the restaurant area for seating.

Good luck. This place could be vibrant like it was in the 90s. It could be a great place for an over night date night with a sunset meal over looking the Platte, good food, some nice wine or other adult beverages and a lodge room with a fireplace, dessert, and the remaining bottle of wine. Going to have to have something that makes it worth driving all the way there. Hope they are successful.

Driving all the way there is not the issue. There are plenty of people there year around to support something nice.

Has there been food service there since Mahoney's Grille (run by Parker's) backed out?
Years ago they had decent brunches there when I attended conferences there.
I agree with other postings from years ago, that if they got the right tenant in place, they could do a killing.
If they got something akin to Denver's Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant, the sky would be the limit.

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Looks like its official! Meal in a mug too!

Brian Cadwallader wrote:I’ve been dropping hints for 5 months now, but, it’s official today. We are taking over the food and beverage operations at Mahoney State Park. We will operate the restaurant in the Peter Kiewit Lodge as well as all catering at the park.

The menu will be a simpler version of The Salty Dog Bar & Grill’s menu with Caddy’s Riverside Grille’s brunch service as well as the Meal-In-A-Mug Bloody Mary.

Thanks to everyone that helped us along this journey and we cannot wait to begin our adventure at one of Nebraska’s great treasures Mahoney State Park!

New FB Page for Caddy's Parkside Grill:
https://www.facebook.com/caddyatmahoneystatepark/

-Hopefully open in the next few weeks
-Catering starting 3/1
-Fully Operational for Easter Brunch on 4/1

Brad wrote:New FB Page for Caddy's Parkside Grill:
https://www.facebook.com/caddyatmahoneystatepark/

-Hopefully open in the next few weeks
-Catering starting 3/1
-Fully Operational for Easter Brunch on 4/1

Opens tomorrow.

Saw this on the Mahoney park Facebook page:

Opening this spring at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, the new Go Ape ropes course will feature ziplines, rope swings, a suspended walkway and other fun and challenging features.

https://www.facebook.com/MahoneyStatePa ... 7355676442

I wonder how long it will be before someone complains about the word "ape" being used in the attraction name, forcing a change to something more politically correct?

That Go Ape stuff looks like it could make me go to the hospital with a broken something. I will have to take a pass on this. Who is responsible I wonder if someones kid does break his leg or neck on that?

Of course I will check out the new food place soon. I'll give them a month to get going and look them up in April.

GrandpaaSmucker wrote:That Go Ape stuff looks like it could make me go to the hospital with a broken something. I will have to take a pass on this. Who is responsible I wonder if someones kid does break his leg or neck on that?

Of course I will check out the new food place soon. I'll give them a month to get going and look them up in April.

The state will be on the hook.

I'm sure that there will be some kind of waiver involved. Also, it looks like most of the stuff has fall arrest protection.

Brian and Jayme Cadwallader, who run the popular Salty Dog Bar and Grill in Council Bluffs, welcome you to the brand new restaurant inside the lodge at the park.

They’ll serve the same kind of from-scratch pub fare the Salty Dog is known for – wings, burgers, fries and more – in a family friendly setting.

During the months of March and April, restaurant patrons can enjoy dining without a park permit in the designated area.

Here's are a couple of the articles that came out today:

http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/201 ... tate-park/

http://www.wahoo-ashland-waverly.com/as ... 26bd8.html

Guessing Coyote's post came from the first one.

Coyote wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 2:59 pm

Brad wrote:New FB Page for Caddy's Parkside Grill:
https://www.facebook.com/caddyatmahoneystatepark/

-Hopefully open in the next few weeks
-Catering starting 3/1
-Fully Operational for Easter Brunch on 4/1

Opens tomorrow.

Caddy's Parkside Grill at Mahoney has closed.

ChadJK wrote: ↑Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:17 am

Coyote wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 2:59 pm

Brad wrote:New FB Page for Caddy's Parkside Grill:
https://www.facebook.com/caddyatmahoneystatepark/

-Hopefully open in the next few weeks
-Catering starting 3/1
-Fully Operational for Easter Brunch on 4/1

Opens tomorrow.

Caddy's Parkside Grill at Mahoney has closed.

Permanent or temp with COVID and winter?
We enjoyed what they had to offer and went fairly regularly.

Closed. Game and Parks said on Facebook they were looking at other options.

Largest Boy Scout event in the Midwest draws thousands to Mahoney State Park
More than 3,000 scouts from across the Midwest took over Mahoney State Park coming together for the largest hands-on training event for all ages.

ASHLAND, Neb. — Cub Scouts to Life Scouts all the way to Eagle Scouts, the 9th Biannual Jubilee brought troops from every corner of the region. "There's a bunch of events, there's so many people to meet and there's good food and an all-around good atmosphere," said Life Scout, Alec, from Troop 22. For three days, Scouts got to work on their craft and spend time in the great outdoors. "Getting to do fun adventures like hiking, ziplining, obstacle courses, they're really fun," said Johnny, a Cub Scout in Troop 650. Alec said he can use the skills he's learned as he gets older. "Leadership skills and just skills that I'll take with me for the rest of my life," he said. Scout Executive Chris Mehaffey, covers troops in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. He said the jubilee's been a Boy Scout tradition since the 1980s, exposing kids to new types of experiences. "A lot of what we do is learned by giving kids an opportunity to try and fail and get pushed right back into the game by the adults or challenged by the adults or their peers," Mehaffey said. "Yes, you get that in soccer, you get it in football, you get it in baseball, that's more teamwork, this is leadership development at the core." And give them a weekend packed full of lasting memories. "This is going to be the only jubilee I go to as a scout because I'm going to age out here pretty soon before the next one," said Ryan, an Eagle Scout in Troop 22.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is looking for a new restaurant partner at Mahoney.

https://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/20 ... tate-park/

Turn-key restaurant opportunity at Mahoney State Park

A fully equipped, turn-key operation and additional incentives are some of the benefits offered to a new restaurant partner at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The agency is seeking proposals for a food service provider at the park conveniently located just off Interstate 80 between Lincoln and Omaha. A family-friendly bar and grill would be an excellent fit for this opportunity at the Peter Kiewit Lodge, which offers a fully equipped restaurant that overlooks the Platte River valley.

Its time to re-thing that whole restaurant space. They need a cozy little lodge bar and grill up front that is closed off from the massive buffet and dining room. Use the little cozy lodge most days and save the big space for the few days a year they actually need it. There really needs to be a wall to separate it and hide it when not in use. There really should be nice patio connected to the cozy lodge bar and grill that is always open on nice days. Why go to a state park if you cant enjoy the outdoors. Heck, may be even garage doors in the cozy bar and grill that open to that patio.

What's been there for the past few decades isn't working anymore, time to move in to present.