Omaha Forums

Greg S wrote:We are getting close to this event. Does anyone know what they are expecting crowd-wise for this?

Half-ton horses that can jump fences and make balletic moves are giving some hotels in the downtown Omaha area a good kick in business at a time of year when bookings aren’t always at a full gallop.

It’s been a good bump,’’ said Mark Batchik, general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn downtown. He said earlier this week that his hotel at 10th and Dodge Streets was booked nearly full for the five-day World Cup.

Brian Thomas, director of sales and marketing for the Hilton Omaha across the street from the CenturyLink, said that as of Thursday his hotel was sold out.

A half-dozen downtown-area hotels contacted by The World-Herald said the 2017 World Cup has boosted reservations and that rooms are sold out or nearly so for all or parts of the event.

Mike West, CEO of the local group organizing the World Cup, said ticket sales have not yet reached goals, but he’s pleased with the pace and he’s expecting good crowds for the event, which will feature some of the world’s best riders and horses competing in two Olympic categories: jumping and dressage, sometimes referred to as “horse ballet.”

With the World Cup less than a week away, about 6,700 all-session tickets have been sold. That’s about 500 short of the goal, but West said he hopes to close the gap before the event begins.

About 10,000 single-session tickets have been sold; the goal now is to sell 22,000. West said he hopes to reach that mark through sales during the next four days and through walk-ups once the event begins. He also said he hopes the single-session option will attract families.