Gretna Goodlife District

[F0R_L1F3]

They posted a photo on their Instagram. Is that actually what the surrounding is supposed to be like..? Or just mirroring a prarie because of its name.

[ita]

They posted a photo on their Instagram. Is that actually what the surrounding is supposed to be like..? Or just mirroring a prarie because of its name.

Interesting. It's a bermed structure. They said previously it could be mass timber, so it would be a very unique facility. I don't think the surrounding is intended to be exactly like that, more invoking images tied to the name, but who knows. Also, maybe a nickname for the arena could be "The Basement" or "The Berm."

[iamjacobm]

https://join.nexcrossing.com/prairie-green-arena/

[Doctor Fate]

They also said on Grow Omaha that Yates and Johanna are saying they've already been approached by 4 professional teams about "Prairie Green Arena".

[Louie]

They also said on Grow Omaha that Yates and Johanna are saying they've already been approached by 4 professional teams about "Prairie Green Arena".

I find that hard to believe.

[CBJason]

They also said on Grow Omaha that Yates and Johanna are saying they've already been approached by 4 professional teams about "Prairie Green Arena".

Would ‘professional’ also include minor league teams?

[almighty_tuna]

They also said on Grow Omaha that Yates and Johanna are saying they've already been approached by 4 professional teams about "Prairie Green Arena".

Would ‘professional’ also include minor league teams?

Yes. For example, the Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team. "Professional" doesn't necessarily mean top tier.

[GrowUpFrances]

https://join.nexcrossing.com/prairie-green-arena/

The rendering on the website states that the image is courtesy of Snohetta — that's the same architecture firm that designed the modern Joslyn expansion. That is exciting as they do really beautiful work imo.

[Garrett]

They also said on Grow Omaha that Yates and Johanna are saying they've already been approached by 4 professional teams about "Prairie Green Arena".

I find that hard to believe.

Given some of the sports on the list are pro volleyball and indoor pro soccer, it’s probably on that end of things and not the NHL

[Padre]

They also said on Grow Omaha that Yates and Johanna are saying they've already been approached by 4 professional teams about "Prairie Green Arena".

I find that hard to believe.

Given some of the sports on the list are pro volleyball and indoor pro soccer, it’s probably on that end of things and not the NHL

If you want a better idea of what they could have been, take a look at https://www.oursportscentral.com/.

They cover most of the minor league sports teams.

[Bomaha]

They literally just photoshopped the Theodore Roosevelt presidental library rendering for that page, so we don't even know if conversations are even being had with Snohetta. Plus it looks like the only stadia experience they have is a design proposal for the Golden State Warriors from 10 years ago? Could be wrong of course.

Sorry, it just looks all sorts of fishy.

[GrowUpFrances]

They literally just photoshopped the Theodore Roosevelt presidental library rendering for that page, so we don't even know if conversations are even being had with Snohetta. Plus it looks like the only stadia experienece they have is a design propsal for the Golden State Warriors from 10 years ago? Could be wrong of course.

Sorry, it just looks all sorts of fishy.

Ha, what in the heck?! Fishy, indeed.

[Doctor Fate]

The website also list the WNBA as an option in the lone survey question. I know the WNBA is aiming to add 4 expansion teams by 2028 but I doubt that Omaha is high on their list, if on it at all. But then again, women's sports (mainly basketball/volleyball) have been popular in the region and both have been trending nationally.

I still hate the names "Knight Owls" and "Prairie Green Arena" for the conceptual NHL team and the arena and find it vaguely amusing that they did concept merch. It feels like fan-fiction.

[nebport5]

They also said on Grow Omaha that Yates and Johanna are saying they've already been approached by 4 professional teams about "Prairie Green Arena".

I find that hard to believe.

Well they didn't specify the 4 being major league professional sports...which yeah, no one would believe.

[Doctor Fate]

If you missed Grow Omaha this morning, we announced that the arena will be called “Prairie Green Arena“. It is not a naming rights name, it’s a nod to the carbon neutral plan for the arena..

“Prairie Green Arena”? Are the arena and team name set in stone?

Any info Brad?

[Brad]

If you missed Grow Omaha this morning, we announced that the arena will be called “Prairie Green Arena“. It is not a naming rights name, it’s a nod to the carbon neutral plan for the arena..

“Prairie Green Arena”? Are the arena and team name set in stone?

Any info Brad?

I haven't heard anything on what the other teams would be.

[Doctor Fate]

If you missed Grow Omaha this morning, we announced that the arena will be called “Prairie Green Arena“. It is not a naming rights name, it’s a nod to the carbon neutral plan for the arena..

“Prairie Green Arena”? Are the arena and team name set in stone?

Any info Brad?

I haven't heard anything on what the other teams would be.

No, I meant are Rod and Johanna set on "Knight Owls" and "Prairie Green Arena"?

[nebugeater]

If you missed Grow Omaha this morning, we announced that the arena will be called “Prairie Green Arena“. It is not a naming rights name, it’s a nod to the carbon neutral plan for the arena..

“Prairie Green Arena”? Are the arena and team name set in stone?

Any info Brad?

I haven't heard anything on what the other teams would be.

No, I meant are Rod and Johanna set on "Knight Owls" and "Prairie Green Arena"?

Who really knows but those two?

My speculation is that they are not set on anything if it is tied to the right $$$$, as would be the case for almost anyone.

[Brad]

No, I meant are Rod and Johanna set on "Knight Owls" and "Prairie Green Arena"?

Who really knows but those two?

My speculation is that they are not set on anything if it is tied to the right $$$$, as would be the case for almost anyone.

Here is a website they have setup with the name and arena redering:

https://join.nexcrossing.com/prairie-gr ... omR5CC4YUM

and here is a post they made yesterday:

prairie-green.JPG

[Doctor Fate]

Who really knows but those two?

My speculation is that they are not set on anything if it is tied to the right $$$$, as would be the case for almost anyone.

They were proud enough of "Knight Owls" that they invested in concept merch to show the NHL commissioner and were really giddy announcing the name to everyone on Grow Omaha. Plus the investment in the low tier website they had made for "Prairie Green Arena".

Rod seems to have no qualms about announcing things. He has declared his NEX plans including total investment of $5 billion, the need to own all of the land, projections of $2 billion in annual revenue and 20 million annual visitors, USA volleyball, etc. Seems he is calculated in what he announces or careless. Either way, he's confident in what he announces and he certainly seems that way about "Knight Owls" and "Prairie Green Arena"....both of which are subjectively ridiculous.

[Dusty]

If they want to go with this Prairie / farm theming, they should make the stadium look like a giant rustic barn. Maybe then the Knight Owl name would make more sense.

[omaha79]

Who really knows but those two?

My speculation is that they are not set on anything if it is tied to the right $$$$, as would be the case for almost anyone.

They were proud enough of "Knight Owls" that they invested in concept merch to show the NHL commissioner and were really giddy announcing the name to everyone on Grow Omaha. Plus the investment in the low tier website they had made for "Prairie Green Arena".

Rod seems to have no qualms about announcing things. He has declared his NEX plans including total investment of $5 billion, the need to own all of the land, projections of $2 billion in annual revenue and 20 million annual visitors, USA volleyball, etc. Seems he is calculated in what he announces or careless. Either way, he's confident in what he announces and he certainly seems that way about "Knight Owls" and "Prairie Green Arena"....both of which are subjectively ridiculous.

He's a carnival barker and huckster.

He's trying to prove with Omaha that, "there is a sucker born every minute." Let's prove him wrong. His ideas are not feasible.

[NEDodger]

If they want to go with this Prairie / farm theming, they should make the stadium look like a giant rustic barn. Maybe then the Knight Owl name would make more sense.

For real. These are awful names. At least with your idea there’s a connection….

[ita]

I don't mean to pile on the criticisms of this mega project, but I was looking back at articles about this project and a couple points jumped out to me that I don't think was talked about much.

First, the youth sports component. Per Cindy' initial article (https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/22 ... sing-mall/), the youth sports complex was presented as follows:

A youth sports academy. A $1 billion, 500-acre sports academy, including hotels, with Kansas-based Mammoth Sports to draw national tournaments for soccer, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, volleyball and action sports.

I looked at some other big sports complexes and here's some numbers to compare:

Cedar Point Sports Center- Ohio
- 2019
- $42 million
- 145,000-square-foot sports complex features 10 full-size basketball courts which convert to 20 full-size volleyball courts or approximately 65,000 square feet of space for mat sports.
- Connected to Sports Force Park, a $24 million dollar project, consisting of about 50 acres, "nine multi-purpose, synthetic turf fields; four NCAA-regulation baseball fields; eight NCAA-regulation soccer and lacrosse fields; plus a championship baseball/softball stadium, training areas and an ADA-accessible field." https://www.osports.com/Project/7/378/6

Foley Sports Complex - Alabama
- 500 acres
- $27 million
- 16 playing fields and a 90,000-square-foot event center
- 6 basketball courts, convertible into 12 volleyball courts

Grand Park Sports Complex - Indiana
- 2014
- $68 million
- 400 acres
- 26 baseball diamonds and 31 soccer fields
- Training camp for Colts

So, what does a $1 billion youth sports complex even look like? Even with inflation taken into account, this proposal is 20x the cost of the facilities above? Well, just recently IMG Academy in Florida , a private school that is known for sports and sports training, was sold for $1.25 billion. It's not really comparable as there is no indication that Yates and Mammoth intends to make it a school or something , and that price tag also includes the value of the institution and business in addition to physical facilities, but here is a list of IMG's current facilities:

52 tennis courts (hard, clay, indoor and outdoor)
16 dedicated soccer fields
6 full-size baseball fields and 4 practice diamonds
12 indoor and outdoor batting cage stations, 15 practice mounds
18-hole golf course, double-sided driving range, putting greens, multiple target greens for chipping/pitching
2 dedicated lacrosse fields
2 dedicated football fields
4 basketball courts
10,000 square-foot weight room, 4-lane track (2 turf lanes, 2 composite lanes), covered turf practice field

Second point, is anyone concerned about this:

The shopper information gathered and analyzed through their JUSTDATA affiliate and FASTCASH patented app is what Yates expects also to churn the Good Life district, build customer numbers further and create jobs for techie professionals.

The mobile app tracks spending habits and allows users to earn loyalty cash that can be used at retailers within Nebraska Crossing.

It’s been down for about six months, however.

Yates said his team ran into problems trying to scale up the system. He anticipates the updated version to launch soon. About 800,000 shoppers use the app, a count he envisions at least doubling by year’s end — providing information that retailers and businesses can tap to better understand, reach and grow patrons.

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/18 ... s-history/

I am not sure how app development works, but this is part of the foundation of what is supposed to make NEX successful now and in the future and potential selling point for retailers. I am hoping they figure this out as I do think it is a nice perk and business model, NEX offers discounts for seller data which they can turn around and sell, but it's just a another flag, maybe not red, but definitely yellow. FirstData is the anchor fintech company for their ecosystem, so they need that to work. I think they are only using it at NEX. If they can't successfully scale it here at a regional shopping center, that's a major issue if they try to sell this platform to other businesses.

[omaha79]

If they want to go with this Prairie / farm theming, they should make the stadium look like a giant rustic barn. Maybe then the Knight Owl name would make more sense.

For real. These are awful names. At least with your idea there’s a connection….

Nebraska Sprawl is still the best team name possible for a Gretna franchise.

[ita]

If they want to go with this Prairie / farm theming, they should make the stadium look like a giant rustic barn. Maybe then the Knight Owl name would make more sense.

For real. These are awful names. At least with your idea there’s a connection….

Nebraska Sprawl is still the best team name possible for a Gretna franchise.

I actually kind of love this name.

[omaha79]

If they want to go with this Prairie / farm theming, they should make the stadium look like a giant rustic barn. Maybe then the Knight Owl name would make more sense.

For real. These are awful names. At least with your idea there’s a connection….

Nebraska Sprawl is still the best team name possible for a Gretna franchise.

I actually kind of love this name.

way better than anything else they'll probably come up with. "Pioneers", "Twisters", "Blizzard", "Commanders", etc. it will all be things that make us look like we either live in sod homes or are all in the military.

[Doctor Fate]

They literally just photoshopped the Theodore Roosevelt presidental library rendering for that page, so we don't even know if conversations are even being had with Snohetta. Plus it looks like the only stadia experience they have is a design proposal for the Golden State Warriors from 10 years ago? Could be wrong of course.

Sorry, it just looks all sorts of fishy.

LOL they really did. Wow.


The websites that Rod Yates has had put together are really amateur. Look at his site for JustData. They contain head scratching details like JustData being listed as their HQ in Gretna but the map showing Park City. At look and aesthetic is clunky. All of the team members listed have sketched pictures which they probably thought would be really trendy. I've never seen someone use the Johanna's pose for a company photo, let alone wear sunglasses.


And they use wording and odd grammar like this:


It doesn't look, feel, or read professional and sounds like Rod Yates' LinkedIn page where he describes himself as "Business Owner of dominate shopping center in Nebraska".

The "Prairie Green Arena" website has this ticker that went from 120,000 "members voted" to 215,000 in the 30 seconds I watched it. Remarkable.

[ita]

They literally just photoshopped the Theodore Roosevelt presidental library rendering for that page, so we don't even know if conversations are even being had with Snohetta. Plus it looks like the only stadia experience they have is a design proposal for the Golden State Warriors from 10 years ago? Could be wrong of course.

Sorry, it just looks all sorts of fishy.

LOL they really did. Wow.


The websites that Rod Yates has had put together are really amateur. Look at his site for JustData. They contain head scratching details like JustData being listed as their HQ in Gretna but the map showing Park City. At look and aesthetic is clunky. All of the team members listed have sketched pictures which they probably thought would be really trendy. I've never seen someone use the Johanna's pose for a company photo, let alone wear sunglasses.


And they use wording and odd grammar like this:


It doesn't look, feel, or read professional and sounds like Rod Yates' LinkedIn page where he describes himself as "Business Owner of dominate shopping center in Nebraska".

The "Prairie Green Arena" website has this ticker that went from 120,000 "members voted" to 215,000 in the 30 seconds I watched it. Remarkable.

That's weird that they are using the TRL rendering! Maybe Snohetta provided it, but then they should of put an asterisk or something that it's representative not an actual rendering. Now it looks like they stole it.

New mass timber Teddy Roosevelt library aims to be one with nature

[Doctor Fate]

World Herald is reporting that Rod Yates wants to double the size of the proposed Good Life District here to 4,000 acres to accommodate a “global brand” that needs 800 acres. The article quotes him as saying, “I’m full now and need to expand the district to 4,000 acres”.

[Garrett]

World Herald is reporting that Rod Yates wants to double the size of the proposed Good Life District here to 4,000 acres to accommodate a “global brand” that needs 800 acres. The article quotes him as saying, “I’m full now and need to expand the district to 4,000 acres”.

At this rate Nebraska Crossing is going to take up the entire state

[Bob from Omaha]

World Herald is reporting that Rod Yates wants to double the size of the proposed Good Life District here to 4,000 acres to accommodate a “global brand” that needs 800 acres. The article quotes him as saying, “I’m full now and need to expand the district to 4,000 acres”.

At this rate Nebraska Crossing is going to take up the entire state

& the western third of Iowa.

[F0R_L1F3]

I do remember that on another forum about Gretna I talked about how there was an entire masterplan for a neighborhood. The boundaries span really close there especially with a city center planned for that neighborhood if all goes accordingly. I'd hope that still is planned for that area to establish a civic center of some type especially with the new city hall planned. I saw the boundaries and it was real close to Nebraska Crossing. Wouldn't hurt though to have a greenway connect that neighborhood if it goes through to Nebraska Crossing and their development they're planning.

[djc311]

World Herald is reporting that Rod Yates wants to double the size of the proposed Good Life District here to 4,000 acres to accommodate a “global brand” that needs 800 acres. The article quotes him as saying, “I’m full now and need to expand the district to 4,000 acres”.

Global Brand that takes up 800 acres? IKEA needs about 18-25 acres, tops. WOW takes up 800 acres? Six Flags is about 250. Seriously... when I read "a global brand", I interpret that to refer to a single entity. Disney Land is 500 acres.

He has to be referring to multiple "brands" combined to create a single destination attraction, right?

[NEDodger]

World Herald is reporting that Rod Yates wants to double the size of the proposed Good Life District here to 4,000 acres to accommodate a “global brand” that needs 800 acres. The article quotes him as saying, “I’m full now and need to expand the district to 4,000 acres”.

Global Brand that takes up 800 acres? IKEA needs about 18-25 acres, tops. WOW takes up 800 acres? Six Flags is about 250. Seriously... when I "a global brand", I interpret that to refer to a single entity. Disney Land is 500 acres.

He has to be referring to multiple "brands" combined to create a single destination attraction, right?

It’s Rod Yates. Ain’t no 800 acres of development happening.

[Athomsfere]

World Herald is reporting that Rod Yates wants to double the size of the proposed Good Life District here to 4,000 acres to accommodate a “global brand” that needs 800 acres. The article quotes him as saying, “I’m full now and need to expand the district to 4,000 acres”.

Global Brand that takes up 800 acres? IKEA needs about 18-25 acres, tops. WOW takes up 800 acres? Six Flags is about 250. Seriously... when I "a global brand", I interpret that to refer to a single entity. Disney Land is 500 acres.

He has to be referring to multiple "brands" combined to create a single destination attraction, right?

How big is a Top Golf or 4ORE?

$ORE might make sense, a "Top Golf" to drag people out of the city. And being a Texas company I believe they should be terrible at land use.

[ita]

World Herald is reporting that Rod Yates wants to double the size of the proposed Good Life District here to 4,000 acres to accommodate a “global brand” that needs 800 acres. The article quotes him as saying, “I’m full now and need to expand the district to 4,000 acres”.

Global Brand that takes up 800 acres? IKEA needs about 18-25 acres, tops. WOW takes up 800 acres? Six Flags is about 250. Seriously... when I "a global brand", I interpret that to refer to a single entity. Disney Land is 500 acres.

He has to be referring to multiple "brands" combined to create a single destination attraction, right?

It’s Rod Yates. Ain’t no 800 acres of development happening.

You don't know. Could be an Amazon...data center. I joke, but with the recent run of data center development in the metro, 800 acres for a global brand sounds like a data center to me.

[Trips1]

At 800 acres I would think a battery/cathode manufacturer like LG Chem or Panasonic. Panasonic is already in De Soto Kansas and using 300 acres. About every state east of us has $1B plant and it would be a good fit south of I-80.

[Bob from Omaha]

Biggest D A M N Mega Saver you ever saw. A 100 acre prepaid phone center and 200 acres for beer and cheap wine. Five acres for day old donuts.

[djc311]

Biggest D A M N Mega Saver you ever saw. A 100 acre prepaid phone center and 200 acres for beer and cheap wine. Five acres for day old donuts.

I have to give you credit... I'm usually one of the firsts to pickup on these Mega Savers. I can't believe I dropped the ball on this one.

I totally should have seen it coming! I wonder if they'll bring in buildings that are already falling apart to give it the "established" feeling?