Downtown Omaha: 2000-2010

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:58 pm

2001: The Freedom Center

2002: First National Tower

2003: The Qwest Center

2004: Union Pacific Center

2005: The Holland Center

2006: Riverfront Place. Tower I

2007: Slowdown

2008: ????

2009: The Wallstreet Omaha Tower

2010: ??????????

This will be a huge decade for Downtown Omaha. What would be the perfect project to close out this decade, and make way for the new?

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:01 pm

Adding the Pedestrian Bridge would be an awesome addition to these projects, lets hope it will be. Also, another nice addition would be a office building proposal by AF in the 30 story range.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:54 am

Or 40 to 50 story range.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:59 am

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Or 40 to 50 story range.

With a huge statue on top

to push it close to being a supertall.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:53 pm

pkiphd wrote:
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Or 40 to 50 story range.
With a huge statue on top to push it close to being a supertall.

...on a pedestal of course

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:59 pm

Let's just put a 700 foot statue on top of the three story Keiwit Conference Center.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 1:06 pm

and pay a local school to publish it as a modern marvel

jjjjhskr · Post by **jjjjhskr** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:01 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Let's just put a 700 foot statue on top of the three story Keiwit Conference Center.

That would be a perfect use for that building!

guy4omaha · Post by **guy4omaha** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:20 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Let's just put a 700 foot statue on top of the three story Keiwit Conference Center.

I think they're already proposing that in Wichita. We don't want to get a reputation as Wichita copycats or wannabes do we?

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:29 pm

Shhh didn’t some politician all ready compare us to them?

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:40 am

I think they're already proposing that in Wichita. We don't want to get a reputation as Wichita copycats or wannabes do we?

Ok so let’s do our own thing… I have an idear a big |expletive| uniquely designed pedestrian bridge over the mo!

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:16 pm

DTO Luv wrote:
This will be a huge decade for Downtown Omaha. What would be the perfect project to close out this decade, and make way for the new?

Venetian

OmahaRules · Post by **OmahaRules** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:27 pm

Are we talking about the Venetian casino? If we are I just got back from my first trip to Vegas and I agree that'd be a sweet casino to have.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:06 pm

Have you seen the newer casinos going up? WOW they are huge! There are pictures on skyscrapers.com.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:05 pm

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 4:58 pm

DTO Luv wrote:Ugh.

Doesn't Chicago have some casinos? You don't even notice them there.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:00 pm

avanzee wrote:
DTO Luv wrote:Ugh.
Doesn't Chicago have some casinos? You don't even notice them there.

good point. and not to be contradictory, but they'd be noticed in Omaha.

OmahaRules · Post by **OmahaRules** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:30 pm

The entertainment and the people casinos bring is amazing, I hope one day they will replace Harrahs and Ameristar and put a themed casino like in Vegas on a smaller scale. Really once you go to Vegas and you come back here you really don't see the appeal to the CB casinos. I'd rather save my money and fly to Vegas once a year.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:33 pm

\Cat fight! hisssssssssssssss

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:46 pm

Well if they don’t build a 28 story casino and instead choose say a 8 story one then it would be pretty invisible.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:56 pm

Come on guys... look at the amount of money which was expended towards swaying Nebraska voters to approve expanded gambling in Nebraska... in a miserably failing effort. It just isn't going to happen.

Aside from the hopes for another highrise... a casino isn't going to bring anything to downtown that we need anyway... and may bring more of what we don't need.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:10 pm

a casino isn't going to bring anything to downtown that we need anyway... and may bring more of what we don't need.

Yah like millions in taxes that is given to Iowa!

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:20 pm

No my friend, that is gambling revenue we're sending to Iowa.

Taxes (and revenue) ... are what Iowans are giving to Omaha and Nebraska when they come across the bridge to work/shop/dine here.

This isn't a one way street. The metro's Iowa residents are sending plenty to the Nebraska side of the river. It just happens it's not some well defined casinos you can point squarely at.

So let it go. Nebraska has spoken, it doesn't want casino gambling.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:29 pm

Just a minutes drive away, hmmmm. Too many hillbillies most have voted on that one.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:05 am

jhuston wrote:
Aside from the hopes for another highrise... a casino isn't going to bring anything to downtown that we need anyway... and may bring more of what we don't need.

I think what we'd more likely see than another highrise is a dramatic acceleration for downtown retail on the level that many here would like to see.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:08 am

processing error double post (feel free to delete)

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:11 am

I think what most here have established... is that downtown needs retail which suits day to day needs. All a casino is going to host (and THAT may be a dream) are the kinds of retail which might bring in the suburbanites for an occasional downtown shopping trip.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:57 pm

my point is that to attract large scale retail you need a consistent flux population that we currrently do not have. Hence the kind of resident population casinos often generate.

also don't forget about tourists supporting retail as well as those occasional suburbanite shoppers.

Jeff, I realize the distaste you have for Omaha relying on casinos for further DT development. I can appreciate these feelings yet a casino is still one of the few anchors that could bring in the kind of high end retail that alot of us here want to see.

DTs daily retail needs will take care of itself as the number of residents continues to increase.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:18 pm

jhuston wrote:I think what most here have established... is that downtown needs retail which suits day to day needs. All a casino is going to host (and THAT may be a dream) are the kinds of retail which might bring in the suburbanites for an occasional downtown shopping trip.

Every little bit helps right?

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 12:36 am

This state is way to conservitive to build a caniso. Even though they are here, the people of this state look the other way to gambling, as long as it is not here.

OmahaRules · Post by **OmahaRules** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:02 am

My thoughts on the casino is like what some others here have stated. We need to have more people downtown. I cannot think of another thing that consistently brings in more people than a casino. Day in and day out people are there 24/7 if you can name me something that could bring that kind of activity to DT I'll be more than willing to hear it.
As far as it not being approved either was the Qwest what like 3-4 times? I mean come on rarely do things go through on their first try, especially in Nebraska. It may take 20 years but you'll see casinos in Omaha, because eventually people will lighten up to the idea.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 5:40 am

Okay, as most know I was probably as big a proponent for an Omaha casino as anyone... so I'm going to retain an open mind here.

Can someone knowledgeable on the subject, give me some specifics examples/success stories (outside of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the latter of which many would argue has hurt the area which surrounds it)... where downtown casinos are helping their surrounding downtown environs.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:59 pm

There aren't any. Some one else I was talking with about this said the exact thing about LV and AC.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:46 pm

Okay enough said, so how about brothels?

guy4omaha · Post by **guy4omaha** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 12:55 pm

I don't think my wife will approve of my patronizing brothels.... really I don't. But, hey other than that I could be one of their best customers.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 1:59 pm

jhuston wrote:Okay, as most know I was probably as big a proponent for an Omaha casino as anyone... so I'm going to retain an open mind here.

Can someone knowledgeable on the subject, give me some specifics examples/success stories (outside of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the latter of which many would argue has hurt the area which surrounds it)... where downtown casinos are helping their surrounding downtown environs.

I'll try to put up some more statistical success stories here later, but first I can't help but mention the other side of the river.

Now I've heard about a rise in crime in the Bluffs, but honestly how nice was CB prior to the boats? Prior to the casinos how many in Omaha actually went to CB besides accidently or passing through on the way to somewhere else?

Would there be the Midamerica Center, Bass pro, new theater, new water park, and a revitalized Broadway without the casinos?

My point is that now CB has retail/ entertainment beyond the casinos that people will frequent without stepping foot on a boat.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:45 pm

Exactly so why can’t Omaha get on some of that?

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:54 pm

nebport5 wrote:Now I've heard about a rise in crime in the Bluffs, but honestly how nice was CB prior to the boats? Prior to the casinos how many in Omaha actually went to CB besides accidently or passing through on the way to somewhere else?

I will attribute your ignorance to generations of stereotyping passed down. Was CB the nicest part of the metro? No, but it was certainly "nicer" than you seem willing to give credit for, and certainly nicer than many neighborhoods in Omaha. And certainly we had retail and entertainment that people frequent without stepping foot on a boat.

Yes, the casinos have helped bring in some of what you mention, but you cannot simply extrapolate that to downtown Omaha. The casinos are much closer to downtown Omaha than downtown CB. The CB "success" has been the exception, not the rule, when it comes to how casinos affect retail sales - take a look at the other 4 "mid-size" communities in Iowa with gambling and they ranked dead last in retail growth the past decade among that peer group. It's not simply been the addition of casinos to CB that has fueled growth - leadership from the city and city officials has been key.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:12 pm

I used to be prejudice to CB but thanks to a friend who said he’d rather support CB than Millard I now do all I used to do in the burbs in Iowa. And it really ant that bad..

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:55 pm

I voted a year ago in favor of allowing casinos into Omaha (I am not a gambler, by the way) but now I see that issue as having died down, and I feel that the casino "wave" has crested and receded to the point that I am happy without any casinos here on this side of the river. The area has 3 right now and I don't think we need any more.

Has Council Bluffs benefited from casinos? Unquestionably the answer is yes. Would Omaha? I think that is an open question, and I seriously doubt that the sort of urban renaissance that has occurred in CB the past decade would be replicated here on anything close to that level.

Bottom line, Omaha is doing just fine without a casino in the city center.