Nebraska Crossing (Gretna)

[Coyote]

As of Gretna Mayors Quarterly Update September 2022, Mike Evans Mayor, City of Gretna
The grand opening for REI is scheduled for September 23rd.

REI is one of the nation’s best sports/recreation equipment supplier. REI sells camping gear, hiking, climbing, cycling, water, running, fitness, snow, travel equipment, and men, women and kids clothing. It also offers services such as outdoor-oriented vacations and courses.

[Brad]

All ready to open this Friday!

[almighty_tuna]

Can't wait!

[Coyote]

Just where is the REI building the Crossings Mall? Facing against the water tower to the North? Is this better than the REI building that would have been in the Crossroads?

[almighty_tuna]

It's got interstate frontage and is between the TJMax and the main outlet mall area, iirc. better than Crossroads? beats me, i'm just happy we have an REI now.

[Coyote]

I will have to go find my old REI card from Denver, I can’t wait.

[Coyote]

REI set to open on Friday at Nebraska Crossing

Omaha World-Herald

Outdoor retailer REI will open its doors Friday morning at Gretna’s Nebraska Crossing. The 22,000-square-foot store's opening weekend will include three days of festivities.

[Coyote]

Outdoor retailer set for grand opening celebration at Gretna's Nebraska Crossing

A new outdoor retailer is set to open its doors at Nebraska Crossing. REI Co-op will have a grand opening this weekend to celebrate its first Nebraska location. The store, located at Gretna's shopping center near Interstate 80 and Highway 31, features outdoor gear, as well as camping cycling, running, fitness, hiking, snow sports, and climbing apparel. It will also feature a specialty bike shop. Doors open at 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 11 a.m. on Sunday, with giveaways scheduled for each day of the grand opening. “REI aspires to be at the center of people’s active lifestyles,” Josh O’Connell, REI store manager, said in a statement. “Our team of 57 associates have a passion for the outdoors and we are ready to be a resource to the community.”


In this photo taken Nov. 13, 2018, clerks work in front of a large photo of Mount Rainier in REI Co-op's flagship store in Seattle. For the fourth consecutive year, REI said that on the popular Black Friday shopping day it will close all 153 stores, process no online payments and pay more than 12,000 employees, encouraging them to recreate outdoors with friends and family. The company calls it #OptOutside. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
© Elaine Thompson

[Coyote]

Grow Omaha has REI on the site this morning. They said that there will development between the Gretna trails area with REI and Nebraska Crossing. Has anyone found out where these trails will be made?

[bigredmed1]

It would be great to see REI promote trail signage from Neb Crossing to Schramm and to Memphis Lake. Great bike ride and tag team effort with the family-centered stuff at the Aquarium and the park.

[Coyote]

Live at the new REI store at Nebraska Crossing with Rod Yates and Johanna Boston

[Doctor Fate]

Has there been any word on when an announcement will be made about the other national retailer(s) coming to NEX mentioned awhile back?

[nebugeater]

Has there been any word on when an announcement will be made about the other national retailer(s) coming to NEX mentioned awhile back?

I try and follow this and even have some google news search alerts set up. I have not seen anything yet. It is a good question so If anyone has insight lets hear it!!!!

[nebugeater]

Anyone heard anything about an opening date for the Yeti store? Been a little while since I have been by that part of the mall THe last time there was work going on. From when they started I thought they might be open by now.

[Brad]

Anyone heard anything about an opening date for the Yeti store? Been a little while since I have been by that part of the mall THe last time there was work going on. From when they started I thought they might be open by now.

March 9th for Yeti

Cold Stone Creamery and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory will open February 9th at Nebraska Crossing in Gretna. YETI will open in the same mall March 9th. It will be YETI’s first Nebraska or Iowa store. The Texas-based company currently has just 13 stores in seven states. Finally, Athleta plans to open a Nebraska Crossing store this summer.

[nebugeater]

Anyone heard anything about an opening date for the Yeti store? Been a little while since I have been by that part of the mall THe last time there was work going on. From when they started I thought they might be open by now.

March 9th for Yeti

Cold Stone Creamery and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory will open February 9th at Nebraska Crossing in Gretna. YETI will open in the same mall March 9th. It will be YETI’s first Nebraska or Iowa store. The Texas-based company currently has just 13 stores in seven states. Finally, Athleta plans to open a Nebraska Crossing store this summer.

I didn't see the date but did see numerous posted that they are hiring last night.

[Coyote]

Yeti opening store in Nebraska Crossing outlet mall

[Brad]

We announced on Grow Omaha this past Saturday that B&G Tasty Foods is opening in the old Local space at Nebraska Crossing and will have a drive through.

[Gangdalf]

Does anyone know what are they building in front of DragonWok Express? The framing looked interesting

[djc311]

We announced on Grow Omaha this past Saturday that B&G Tasty Foods is opening in the old Local space at Nebraska Crossing and will have a drive through.

A drive thru will work out there? Interesting. I am glad to hear about B&G opening. Hopefully it's the same as it was on Dodge St!

Local was OK, but I think they grew with too many locations too fast. I don't hear from ppl too often that they visited a Local recently.

[Louie]

We announced on Grow Omaha this past Saturday that B&G Tasty Foods is opening in the old Local space at Nebraska Crossing and will have a drive through.

A drive thru will work out there? Interesting. I am glad to hear about B&G opening. Hopefully it's the same as it was on Dodge St!

Local was OK, but I think they grew with too many locations too fast. I don't hear from ppl too often that they visited a Local recently.

Just anecdotal, but that McDonalds drive thru is always jammed.

[nebugeater]

We announced on Grow Omaha this past Saturday that B&G Tasty Foods is opening in the old Local space at Nebraska Crossing and will have a drive through.

A drive thru will work out there? Interesting. I am glad to hear about B&G opening. Hopefully it's the same as it was on Dodge St!

Local was OK, but I think they grew with too many locations too fast. I don't hear from ppl too often that they visited a Local recently.

Just anecdotal, but that McDonalds drive thru is always jammed.

By "drive though will work," I assume that the question is meant how it will physically flow and what changes are needed. Not if it will get business. I have questions, too, about how it will lay out.

[Brad]

A drive thru will work out there? Interesting.

By "drive though will work," I assume that the question is meant how it will physically flow and what changes are needed. Not if it will get business. I have questions, too, about how it will lay out.

Just guessing it will be something like this? Small bump-out where the patio was?

Capture.JPG

[Louie]

We announced on Grow Omaha this past Saturday that B&G Tasty Foods is opening in the old Local space at Nebraska Crossing and will have a drive through.

A drive thru will work out there? Interesting. I am glad to hear about B&G opening. Hopefully it's the same as it was on Dodge St!

Local was OK, but I think they grew with too many locations too fast. I don't hear from ppl too often that they visited a Local recently.

Just anecdotal, but that McDonalds drive thru is always jammed.

By "drive though will work," I assume that the question is meant how it will physically flow and what changes are needed. Not if it will get business. I have questions, too, about how it will lay out.

weeeeelp, i misunderstood

[Doctor Fate]

I spoke to Johanna Boston a few years ago and she mentioned their hope to get a West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, or other similar stores to NEX. Sounds like they finally have a plan in place, with the state's help, to attempt that.

Ikea? Nordstrom? Tax incentive sought to lure big-name retailers to expanded Nebraska Crossing

The owner of Nebraska Crossing wants to transform the shopping mall into a destination able to draw 15 million visitors annually and lure retailers such as Ikea, Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel and Nordstrom.

Rod Yates described his vision to state lawmakers Wednesday: The project would offer shopping and dining, entertainment venues, hotels, youth sports fields and more, and could have more than $1 billion in sales.

[Doctor Fate]

I spoke to Johanna Boston a few years ago and she mentioned their hope to get a West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, or other similar stores to NEX. Sounds like they finally have a plan in place, with the state's help, to attempt that.

Ikea? Nordstrom? Tax incentive sought to lure big-name retailers to expanded Nebraska Crossing

The owner of Nebraska Crossing wants to transform the shopping mall into a destination able to draw 15 million visitors annually and lure retailers such as Ikea, Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel and Nordstrom.

Rod Yates described his vision to state lawmakers Wednesday: The project would offer shopping and dining, entertainment venues, hotels, youth sports fields and more, and could have more than $1 billion in sales.

Similar article from the Nebraska Examiner.

[ita]

I spoke to Johanna Boston a few years ago and she mentioned their hope to get a West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, or other similar stores to NEX. Sounds like they finally have a plan in place, with the state's help, to attempt that.

Ikea? Nordstrom? Tax incentive sought to lure big-name retailers to expanded Nebraska Crossing

The owner of Nebraska Crossing wants to transform the shopping mall into a destination able to draw 15 million visitors annually and lure retailers such as Ikea, Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel and Nordstrom.

Rod Yates described his vision to state lawmakers Wednesday: The project would offer shopping and dining, entertainment venues, hotels, youth sports fields and more, and could have more than $1 billion in sales.

Similar article from the Nebraska Examiner.

Hold up, senator linehan wants to allow an .5% increase in sales tax to help pay for private development? Interesting.

Thanks for sharing. I wonder what Yates is envisioning for that area with warehousing/industrial already planned across the highway.

[Doctor Fate]

Hold up, senator linehan wants to allow an .5% increase in sales tax to help pay for private development? Interesting.

Thanks for sharing. I wonder what Yates is envisioning for that area with warehousing/industrial already planned across the highway.

Yeah that was very interesting. And she said it will help move away from the state's heavy reliance on property tax.

I think Yates is envisioning something similar to the Legends Outlets in KC. I think NEX already has better stores but Legends is surrounded by a Nebraska Furniture Mart, Cabelas, Great Wolf Lodge, MLS stadium, Hollywood Casino, Kansas Speedway, and a baseball stadium.

[ita]

Hold up, senator linehan wants to allow an .5% increase in sales tax to help pay for private development? Interesting.

Thanks for sharing. I wonder what Yates is envisioning for that area with warehousing/industrial already planned across the highway.

Yeah that was very interesting. And she said it will help move away from the state's heavy reliance on property tax.

I think Yates is envisioning something similar to the Legends Outlets in KC. I think NEX already has better stores but Legends is surrounded by a Nebraska Furniture Mart, Cabelas, Great Wolf Lodge, MLS stadium, Hollywood Casino, Kansas Speedway, and a baseball stadium.

It's interesting what she's for and against. I guess she was mad about the street at because the legislative intent, supposedly, was not to support such a project. As long as the state says it's ok to use funds for infrastructure, acquisition, etc. for a private development.

Reading the application requirements, developers will need a fairly thorough pro forma, though statement of how many potential jobs the project may bring is just that. They could say it brings 1000 jobs, but there is no term for accountability if that doesn't happen.

I am not familiar with legends, but there is a good concentration of destinations there. Yates says there would be additional retail, hotels, and youth baseball fields, and more. Not exactly legends's neighbors, but I wonder what they have in mind aside from what was specifically mentioned. Werner park is already in papillon and union is eyeing downtown. Casinos are currently limited to existing racetracks, so that's currently a non starter. They thinking a nascar track or something?

[nebport5]

So where exactly geographically would the expansion be? Across I-80? Will that 500 mil include a "lifestyle" bridge across the interstate?

It would be the ideal locale for an IKEA if it's inevitable. Nordstrom I'd rather see a Crossroads, though a Rack here would be nice.

“It could be the front door to Nebraska if it’s done right.”

Also, unless the Examiner's photo is old stock, it might be a good idea to remove "outlets" from the water tower if Yates & Co are really trying to shed that image.

[OmahaOmaha]

Future home of Port Nebraska.

[stormchaser]

It’s difficult for me to take this seriously when the Gretna mayor says silly things like this:

“This could change Nebraska’s image as a fly-over state,” Gretna Mayor Mike Evans told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee.”

Get real. I love this area but there is ZERO chance this will change people’s perceptions.

IMO this development sounds like a pipe dream. They don’t have anything remotely close to the attractions by the complex in KC. I’m not saying it couldn’t change in time but right now it just doesn’t sound very realistic (unless there is something additional they haven’t revealed yet).

[Linkin5]

It’s difficult for me to take this seriously when the Gretna mayor says silly things like this:

“This could change Nebraska’s image as a fly-over state,” Gretna Mayor Mike Evans told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee.”

Get real. I love this area but there is ZERO chance this will change people’s perceptions.

IMO this development sounds like a pipe dream. They don’t have anything remotely close to the attractions by the complex in KC. I’m not saying it couldn’t change in time but right now it just doesn’t sound very realistic (unless there is something additional they haven’t revealed yet).

Yeah it is one thing to try and sell a project but that is just kind of absurd. Also, to me, Legends is just a suburban nightmare that I see being passed over for something different in a couple decades. This outlet mall has been wildly successful because it sits between the two largest metros in the state, why exactly does it need government assistance?

[djc311]

It’s difficult for me to take this seriously when the Gretna mayor says silly things like this:

“This could change Nebraska’s image as a fly-over state,” Gretna Mayor Mike Evans told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee.”

Get real. I love this area but there is ZERO chance this will change people’s perceptions.

They don’t have anything remotely close to the attractions by the complex in KC. I’m not saying it couldn’t change in time but right now it just doesn’t sound very realistic (unless there is something additional they haven’t revealed yet).

What are you talking about??? They have a freakin' Yeti outlet, I mean direct to consumer store.

[Louie]

Yeah, he's just barking to try to get the funds. Ain't no way our perception is changing because of a fancy suburban outlet mall.

[ita]

So let me see if I'm following the line of thought here.. They want to use state funds to attract certain retailers so that we will no longer be a flyover state, and the example used as a standard is a center in Kansas? A center that is anchored, in part, by a store that has its HQ here in Omaha? And the new retailers sought are ones found in other flyover states? And this will be the front door to Nebraska, located passed its largest and most unique city, because what is attractive about a place is stuff you find in all the other places and is not unique local character?

Best case scenario this would result in a Great Wolf Lodge, a Nordstrom Rack, like three baseball fields, and a few more tourists from Sioux City.

I totally agree with you. This line of thinking is just grasping at funds without any modicum of research into the probable outcome.

I think Yates and crew are a sophisticated bunch. I don't think they don't have any idea about the possible future development they want in the area, but beyond more retailers, I doubt anything really substantive or interesting comes about even with the special tax funding. That's not to say I wouldn't like to see something like a speedway there.

[Linkin5]

So let me see if I'm following the line of thought here.. They want to use state funds to attract certain retailers so that we will no longer be a flyover state, and the example used as a standard is a center in Kansas? A center that is anchored, in part, by a store that has its HQ here in Omaha? And the new retailers sought are ones found in other flyover states? And this will be the front door to Nebraska, located passed its largest and most unique city, because what is attractive about a place is stuff you find in all the other places and is not unique local character?

Best case scenario this would result in a Great Wolf Lodge, a Nordstrom Rack, like three baseball fields, and a few more tourists from Sioux City.

I totally agree with you. This line of thinking is just grasping at funds without any modicum of research into the probable outcome.

I think Yates and crew are a sophisticated bunch. I don't think they don't have any idea about the possible future development they want in the area, but beyond more retailers, I doubt anything really substantive or interesting comes about even with the special tax funding. That's not to say I wouldn't like to see something like a speedway there.

NASCAR attendance and ratings have crashed pretty hard since its popularity in the 90s and 00s, building a speedway in Nebraska seems like a pretty bad idea.

[ita]

So let me see if I'm following the line of thought here.. They want to use state funds to attract certain retailers so that we will no longer be a flyover state, and the example used as a standard is a center in Kansas? A center that is anchored, in part, by a store that has its HQ here in Omaha? And the new retailers sought are ones found in other flyover states? And this will be the front door to Nebraska, located passed its largest and most unique city, because what is attractive about a place is stuff you find in all the other places and is not unique local character?

Best case scenario this would result in a Great Wolf Lodge, a Nordstrom Rack, like three baseball fields, and a few more tourists from Sioux City.

I totally agree with you. This line of thinking is just grasping at funds without any modicum of research into the probable outcome.

I think Yates and crew are a sophisticated bunch. I don't think they don't have any idea about the possible future development they want in the area, but beyond more retailers, I doubt anything really substantive or interesting comes about even with the special tax funding. That's not to say I wouldn't like to see something like a speedway there.

NASCAR attendance and ratings have crashed pretty hard since its popularity in the 90s and 00s, building a speedway in Nebraska seems like a pretty bad idea.

There you go, nix that idea. I was thinking a multi-use autosports complex, similar to the one in Utah, would be cool too, but I don't think that necessarily jives with what there going for.

[Garrett]

Isn't Formula One on the upswing though? That could be something to grab on to before it gets too big.

[ita]

Isn't Formula One on the upswing though? That could be something to grab on to before it gets too big.

We need someone with a lot of money with automotive business ties interested in building a proper course. Maybe Speedway Motors from Lincoln, or the family that owns Certified Transmissions, or Baxter. Even if it's not specifically an F1 course, but to have racetrack between Omaha would be huge. We have the Midlands track near Glenwood, but it's a fairly small facility. Lincolns hosts the autocross nationals every year at the Lincoln airfield.