What does Omaha need?

[thenewguy]

so many stupid damn people.

[Athomsfere]

Reddit is always interesting.

The truth of it as far as I can see: Omaha is crazy good for being a mid-size city in the midwest.

Someone always says "Omaha is unlivable because of X", where X might be a lack of an ocean, lack of bike infrastructure, high taxes.

In reality though, judge it fairly: Amenities, location, cost of living, some decent multi-modal stuff here and more coming. It comes in way ahead of where it should be. We just need to keep refining the formula and looking at global peers. With out healthy growth we can get there.

We still won't have mountains or beaches, but at least it's cheap enough to fly out.

[Renovator2559]

so many stupid damn people.

Reddit is a compromised platform, plenty of bots, a platform that limits free speech where the admins have been known to easily be corrupted with power. I avoid Reddit, unless I have to and even then I go with the expectation that plenty of comments will be emotionally charged and radicalized.

[Omaha Cowboy]

so many stupid damn people.

I’ll agree there..

The thing that has always disturbed me about the Omaha Reddit page, is that it has almost 70K members..and many folks who live outside of the Omaha metro go to that page (as opposed to little old us) to ask questions about and get opinions about Omaha- moving to Omaha, what is it like living in Omaha, is Omaha diverse etc etc. These folks, I’d think, are looking for honest, objective feedback (Like they’d get here on our forum); but on the Omaha Reddit page, the atmosphere is so toxic with the Anti-Omaha clan who posts there, folks get lied to with untrue and unfactual feedback; which in turn, could dissuade a person (or persons) from moving to the Omaha area (as an example)..

To be fair, the place has gotten better over the past year or so..and many there are sick of the whiny, anti Omaha crapola..

But Omaha Reddit still has a long way to go imo…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Greg S]

Yeah you can clearly see the outward Omaha pride on these.

[BRoss]

so many stupid damn people.

I don't think that's something we need

[Dusty]

It doesn't matter what source you are looking at: Reddit, Facebook, random social site, etc. There will always be Debbie Downers trash talking the city they live in. Don't take it personal as it happens in every city. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. We shouldn't dismiss rants and try to discredit them. Sometimes they are a great insight to why people are unhappy and leaving. We can learn a lot from people's frustrations about the city to help with improvements and brain drain. Sometimes these comments are an over exaggeration. Of course, we roll our eyes and take it with a grain of salt. It's important we look past the anger or emotion and see if they have valid concerns. Once you look past all the fire and fluff of his rant, there was nothing too alarming to me.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Of course, we roll our eyes and take it with a grain of salt. It's important we look past the anger or emotion and see if they have valid concerns. Once you look past all the fire and fluff of his rant, there was nothing too alarming to me.

I agree with your sentiment..

But really stripping away any emotion, his “concerns” were not valid, were petty/silly and at a minimum exaggerated..

I personally feel the OP who created this latest anti Omaha/Reddit rant was dating someone who dumped him..and he blames Omaha for it; which is a convenient excuse..

But as Garrett said, Omaha will survive, lol..

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[NEDodger]

Of course, we roll our eyes and take it with a grain of salt. It's important we look past the anger or emotion and see if they have valid concerns. Once you look past all the fire and fluff of his rant, there was nothing too alarming to me.

I personally feel the OP who created this latest anti Omaha/Reddit rant was dating someone who dumped him..and he blames Omaha for it; which is a convenient excuse..

The way the dude whines, I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the case.

[legato9]

I dunno. Dude should have been 1000x less insulting and b1tchy.

But he had some fair points if they would have been expressed more tactfully.

(Except about the people. I’ve always found people here to be mostly rad.)

[Omaha Cowboy]

Of course, we roll our eyes and take it with a grain of salt. It's important we look past the anger or emotion and see if they have valid concerns. Once you look past all the fire and fluff of his rant, there was nothing too alarming to me.

I personally feel the OP who created this latest anti Omaha/Reddit rant was dating someone who dumped him..and he blames Omaha for it; which is a convenient excuse..

The way the dude whines, I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the case.

Yep…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[thenewguy]

I'll say this, and it's not so much what Omaha needs, but what Omaha now has...and that is more entertainment options downtown. For a long time, you only really went downtown for a concert, bars/old market, or a restaurant. There wasn't a ton to keep you there once you were. Now that there are escape rooms, axe throwing, putt putt, three really great parks, science museum, one of the coolest pedestrian bridges in American, [of course] restaurants and bars, new concert venues (besides stadium tours), and electric modes of transport (bikes/scooters) to get you around more quickly and have fun while doing it. In the last 20 years, downtown has really evolved from being (to outsiders) a one trick pony to the beating heart of the city.

I will say, though, that I wish there were some more food trucks near the parks at different times. When we were downtown over the weekend, it would have been great to get a foot long hotdog to eat under the shade of a tree.

[nebugeater]

Bring back a dinner theater in the Old market like The Firehouse was. Hard to believe it has been closed for 20 years if I remember correctly. That is based on it closing a couple of years after we moved back to Nebraska

[Dusty]

Bring back a dinner theater in the Old market like The Firehouse was. Hard to believe it has been closed for 20 years if I remember correctly. That is based on it closing a couple of years after we moved back to Nebraska

Yes! I mentioned dinner theater shows on my list above.
4. Revitalize 16th Street downtown. This corridor has so much history in theater. I would love to bring back the "Theater Row" and make this area a big deal for shows. Orpheum host the big shows. We could bring smaller theater groups, improv groups, magic shows, dinner theater shows, comedy acts, etc.

[skinzfan23]

I'll say this, and it's not so much what Omaha needs, but what Omaha now has...and that is more entertainment options downtown. For a long time, you only really went downtown for a concert, bars/old market, or a restaurant. There wasn't a ton to keep you there once you were. Now that there are escape rooms, axe throwing, putt putt, three really great parks, science museum, one of the coolest pedestrian bridges in American, [of course] restaurants and bars, new concert venues (besides stadium tours), and electric modes of transport (bikes/scooters) to get you around more quickly and have fun while doing it. In the last 20 years, downtown has really evolved from being (to outsiders) a one trick pony to the beating heart of the city.

I will say, though, that I wish there were some more food trucks near the parks at different times. When we were downtown over the weekend, it would have been great to get a foot long hotdog to eat under the shade of a tree.

I agree, we have come a long way. Even in the past 6 years or so since I worked in the Landmark building, there is a ton more to do downtown. Some of it you have to pay, some is free and some is only when there are scheduled events, but compared to some downtowns I have been to recently, Omaha is alive and healthy.

I can honestly say that I have seen more people out downtown in Omaha than Colorado Springs, Denver, Madison, WI, Milwaukee, Des Moines. When visitors come to Omaha, they usually tend to stay downtown for concerts or other events and to see a downtown so full and lively is a huge plus for Omaha.

[Flyer14]

I will say, though, that I wish there were some more food trucks near the parks at different times. When we were downtown over the weekend, it would have been great to get a foot long hotdog to eat under the shade of a tree.

100% agree with this. Maybe with all the parks open we will see more food trucks and vendors come around, but it would be great to see more options. It may just be me, but I subconsciously think that there must be something good going on if there are food trucks lined up!

[Omaha Cowboy]

Bring back a dinner theater in the Old market like The Firehouse was. Hard to believe it has been closed for 20 years if I remember correctly. That is based on it closing a couple of years after we moved back to Nebraska

100% agree..

And I’ll add- Bring back the HOWARD STREET TAVERN! Live music hasn’t quite been the same in the Old Market since it closed in the early 90’s.. …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Louie]

Bring back a dinner theater in the Old market like The Firehouse was. Hard to believe it has been closed for 20 years if I remember correctly. That is based on it closing a couple of years after we moved back to Nebraska

100% agree..

And I’ll add- Bring back the HOWARD STREET TAVERN! Live music hasn’t quite been the same in the Old Market since it closed in the early 90’s.. …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

What building was that in? And was it just a standard bar + stage like the dubliner or harney st?

[ricko]

Bring back a dinner theater in the Old market like The Firehouse was. Hard to believe it has been closed for 20 years if I remember correctly. That is based on it closing a couple of years after we moved back to Nebraska

100% agree..

And I’ll add- Bring back the HOWARD STREET TAVERN! Live music hasn’t quite been the same in the Old Market since it closed in the early 90’s.. …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

What building was that in? And was it just a standard bar + stage like the dubliner or harney st?

It was on the north side of Howard St. between 11th and 12th about mid block——it was on the 2nd floor. Started its life as a bar called Farquhar’s around 67 or 68. It was hippie central. Great music—-local and national acts (sorta like the Waiting Room). Great vibe, good times.

The OM had some great theater back then. The Sweetness and Light satirical theater (Omaha’s version of Second City) and the Magic Theater (mostly locally written experimental stuff). There was also a movie theater on 11th near Howard that screened indie films (The Edison Exposure), much like Film Streams does today. I sometimes wish I could get in a time machine and go back 50 years. It was a very creative time in America for music, theater and the arts in general, especially considering the rigidly conformist culture that preceded it. It was an exciting time to be alive, and I’m glad I was there for all the craziness.

[Linkin5]

Bring back a dinner theater in the Old market like The Firehouse was. Hard to believe it has been closed for 20 years if I remember correctly. That is based on it closing a couple of years after we moved back to Nebraska

100% agree..

And I’ll add- Bring back the HOWARD STREET TAVERN! Live music hasn’t quite been the same in the Old Market since it closed in the early 90’s.. …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

What building was that in? And was it just a standard bar + stage like the dubliner or harney st?

It was on the north side of Howard St. between 11th and 12th about mid block——it was on the 2nd floor. Started its life as a bar called Farquhar’s around 67 or 68. It was hippie central. Great music—-local and national acts (sorta like the Waiting Room). Great vibe, good times.

The OM had some great theater back then. The Sweetness and Light satirical theater (Omaha’s version of Second City) and the Magic Theater (mostly locally written experimental stuff). There was also a movie theater on 11th near Howard that screened indie films (The Edison Exposure), much like Film Streams does today. I sometimes wish I could get in a time machine and go back 50 years. It was a very creative time in America for music, theater and the arts in general, especially considering the rigidly conformist culture that preceded it. It was an exciting time to be alive, and I’m glad I was there for all the craziness.

Thank you for sharing this. That sounds incredible.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Bring back a dinner theater in the Old market like The Firehouse was. Hard to believe it has been closed for 20 years if I remember correctly. That is based on it closing a couple of years after we moved back to Nebraska

100% agree..

And I’ll add- Bring back the HOWARD STREET TAVERN! Live music hasn’t quite been the same in the Old Market since it closed in the early 90’s.. …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

What building was that in? And was it just a standard bar + stage like the dubliner or harney st?

It was on the north side of Howard St. between 11th and 12th about mid block——it was on the 2nd floor. Started its life as a bar called Farquhar’s around 67 or 68. It was hippie central. Great music—-local and national acts (sorta like the Waiting Room). Great vibe, good times.

The OM had some great theater back then. The Sweetness and Light satirical theater (Omaha’s version of Second City) and the Magic Theater (mostly locally written experimental stuff). There was also a movie theater on 11th near Howard that screened indie films (The Edison Exposure), much like Film Streams does today. I sometimes wish I could get in a time machine and go back 50 years. It was a very creative time in America for music, theater and the arts in general, especially considering the rigidly conformist culture that preceded it. It was an exciting time to be alive, and I’m glad I was there for all the craziness.

Thank you for sharing this. That sounds incredible.

It was a GREAT place. It’s a concept that would work again (and I believe overwhelmingly well) in the Old Market..

We should start a “Bring back the Howard St Tavern” campaign …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Dusty]

I think the key is diversity in amenities and attractions. For a while, Omaha was going crazy with the restaurant/bar stamp in every commercial bay. In the last 5 years, we have a great job adding more entertainment options to balance it all out.

Speaking of bars, I would love to see more interesting beverage options brought to town. Like another old parlor with malts, creamsicle milkshakes, etc. Or what about a Kombucha bar? Is that a thing? I'm picturing a ton of flavors of Kombucha all on tap.

[Globochem]

Brownstones. Blocks and blocks of brownstones. Treelined streets. Corner stores. And brownstones.

[Greg S]

It has zero upvotes and clearly wasn't well received by the reddit at large. I think Omaha will survive haha

In turn, this super positive Omaha post has 200 upvotes and other positive comments.

Yeah this is along the lines of what I posted earlier. I don't think Omaha has an issue with Omahan's not promoting it and being proud of the city. I don't think it's an issue at all.

[nativeomahan]

When I was a kid (1960s) most of the “fun” activities I participated in occurred downtown. That despite our family living in what then was west Omaha. Virtually all of the movie theatres and shopping was situated downtown. Movies were shown at the State, the Omaha, the Cooper, the Astro and the Orpheum. The Muse was nearby but I was much too young to attend that “art” theatre. LOL
Brandeis was the big department store. Ten levels, with the toy department up on level ten. But there were half a dozen other department stores. The restaurant scene was pretty basic but everyone seemed satisfied with the choices. Nebraska Furniture Mart had their one and only “bargain loving” location on property now owned by the Federal Reserve Bank. There were even at least 3 new car showrooms downtown. Streetcars took people downtown from both north and south Omaha, plus Dundee. It all worked great. About the only reason to venture elsewhere for fun was the Crossroads mall as well as Peony Park. Playland Park was just across the Douglas Street bridge at the west end of Council Bluffs. They had a big roller coaster there. Many people drove downtown in their cars but public transportation was fast and reliable if that was your preference.
So….Downtown Omaha has a rich history of being an entertainment Mecca. With the Old Market, Capitol District, North Downtown, the Luminarium, Durham, Astro, Joslyn, Blue Barn, Orpheum, Holland, Steelhouse, CHI, Charles Schwab Field, Creighton’s soccer center and performance theater, Film Streams, the Children’s Museum, numerous art galleries, the three signature parks, Kerrey Bridge and maybe 50 restaurants, plus numerous sports bars and cocktail lounges, there is so much to see and do now. And of course Little Bohemia, Turner Park, Midtown Crossing and the Blackstone district are just a stone’s throw away.
What is missing? Big League sports teams. That just isn’t going to happen. What else? Probably more shopping options, including a grocery and pharmacy. More housing. More sidewalk cafes. Another movie theater. Perhaps a few more “signature” restaurants. People love going out and doing things surrounded by lots of other people. They crave that exciting vibe. Crowds of people attract more crowds of people, which put butts in chairs at all those restaurants and bars, and fill museums and galleries.
Omaha, keep doing what you have been doing!

[nebport5]

What does Omaha need?


1. Whatever it would have took to keep Tay-tay from skipping us on her 146 date world tour!
(I mean Omaha would really have it all then right!?)


2. More people biatching about taxes.

[Dusty]

Brownstones. Blocks and blocks of brownstones. Treelined streets. Corner stores. And brownstones.

I love Brownstones! I don't know of any in Omaha. Yes to more dense housing like row houses, especially along transit lines.
We are stuck with single family homes with sprawling yards or renting an apartment. We need more options to own like: condos, row houses, townhouses, etc.

[ozbone69]

Very interesting topic. My two cents:

1.) Agree on a better-designed mass transit system. I don't think light rail/streetcars are the answer for Omaha. However, BRT on designated "major streets" like Dodge and 72nd, plus normal bus lines that actually make sense - I'm thinking similar to Vegas, where they literally just run down every north-south or east-west major streets like a giant grid. If people are able to utilize the bus system without needing to study maps on what line to use, you'll see a huge increase in ridership.

2.) Redevelopment of the riverfront/ConAgra site, with a cornerstone "civic site" like a science museum. The Joslyn and The Durham are fantastic, but if we add a third acclaimed museum in downtown I think you start getting a "prestige factor" with these scholarly attractions.

3.) A third 30+ story tower downtown. If you want to be considered in the "next tier" of cities, I believe you have to *look* like you're a big city and have multiple skyscrapers.

4.) Like #3, more on the frivolous/shallow side but something nationally known like a House of Blues. I'm not a fan of chains, at ALL, but to have a known brand downtown means that Omaha is viewed from the outside as a viable market.

This post aged really well!

[NEDodger]

Very interesting topic. My two cents:

1.) Agree on a better-designed mass transit system. I don't think light rail/streetcars are the answer for Omaha. However, BRT on designated "major streets" like Dodge and 72nd, plus normal bus lines that actually make sense - I'm thinking similar to Vegas, where they literally just run down every north-south or east-west major streets like a giant grid. If people are able to utilize the bus system without needing to study maps on what line to use, you'll see a huge increase in ridership.

2.) Redevelopment of the riverfront/ConAgra site, with a cornerstone "civic site" like a science museum. The Joslyn and The Durham are fantastic, but if we add a third acclaimed museum in downtown I think you start getting a "prestige factor" with these scholarly attractions.

3.) A third 30+ story tower downtown. If you want to be considered in the "next tier" of cities, I believe you have to *look* like you're a big city and have multiple skyscrapers.

4.) Like #3, more on the frivolous/shallow side but something nationally known like a House of Blues. I'm not a fan of chains, at ALL, but to have a known brand downtown means that Omaha is viewed from the outside as a viable market.

This post aged really well!

Ha! As did I! (I think…?)

[thenewguy]

A few things I wish Omaha did (that other cities do) is a kind of city pass to see local attractions for a discounted price when grouped together. Obviously since the Joslyn is free, so it wouldn't cost anything to add, but if you are an out of towner, you could get a zoo ticket, durham, luminarium, lauritzen gardens, and go up into first national to look out an observation deck (which doesn't exist right now). You could really make a couple busy days out of it and not be bored.

I also wish that we had the Racers back. I only got to go once when i was a kid, but it was so much fun.

A Ferris wheel and/or big swing or something by the river would be cool. I know a bunch of cities do it, but now that we have the luminarium, it would be so easy to tie it in at the river front, and people like em

Otherwise, there isn't a whole lot that I want that Omaha don't got (bad grammar on purpose)

[ricko]

I complained here years ago that Omaha needed a science museum (we got one——yay). We’re very lucky now to have some great museums and galleries in town, but it would be nice if we could score a natural history museum (then I’ll shut up).