Downtown Soccer Stadium (11th & Millwork Ave)

[djc311]

Pillen is withholding the money because we now have a Democrat mayor.

No doubt about it - when will the majority of Nebraskans wake up and vote him out. He's a clone of Ricketts who was also in it for himself. I can't believe with how smart most people seem in this state that they continue to elect these guys into office.

[Renovator2559]

I don't know, not many people trust Ewing including North Omaha locals going crickets as his parade float passes.

genuine question, why do you say there is a general mistrust in ewing? I’ve lived down north my whole life, people like the guy and have hopes. maybe not everyone but that will never be. I mean he beat stauthert by substantially more then predictions thought

I was around north Omaha residents in the parade, I just didn't see excitement despite Ewing showing excitement. As if the honeymoon is over.

Mayor Jean Stothert was the 2nd longest running mayor in Omaha history. Voters got complacent.

[Garrett]

Anyone hear a dog barking or is it just me?

[Greg S]

Anyone hear a dog barking or is it just me?

heard it as well.

[Linkin5]

Anyone hear a dog barking or is it just me?

There’s something Renovator doesn’t like about the new mayor, he just can’t put his finger on it.

[nebport5]

An interesting detail mentioned in yesterday's city council meeting is the creation of a new diagonal street running from 11th St to the entrance of the stadium. They are referring to this new street as “the promenade”, which obviously be the main pedestrian artery for the adjacent retail/entertainment and housing. You can see this represented faintly in the rendering below(it helps to enlarge the image).





It was also mentioned that at the time the city would connect the new street from 10th to 11th, the UP event space(aka where the train sits during the CWS) would be pushed back to accommodate the street extension.

[omaha79]

Funny. I was told in this thread that a general lack of entertainment options doesn't really contribute to the "brain drain" in Omaha. It's like Nebraska Examiner was reading my mind. Talking about the general brain drain due to lack of job growth, but also Omaha and John Ewing hoping to raise the "fun" factor with things like the Union Omaha Soccer Stadium. I'd say a soccer stadium is well behind on the list of reasons why Omaha loses people, but it's a real issue. I know this was quoted in another thread on here, but it still applies. We need entertainment options beyond bars and restaurants that generally exist only to promote drinking. The more we can add to our profile is always for the better...

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/08 ... g-job-lag/

[skinzfan23]

I am fully behind the stadium although I don't watch soccer at all. It will be a great addition to the Omaha sports scene. But as a metro of 1 million, Omaha does offer quite a bit in terms of sports. Don't know if we'll ever have the swim trials again, but we hosted 4 times, have the CWS, Creighton bball and baseball, UNO Hockey, bball and baseball to go along with the slumpbuster little league tournament and presidents day volleyball tournament. Not to mention the Lancers, Supernovas, and LOVB volleyball and Stormchasers.

I think for a metro of our size we are doing very well. Of course adding soccer to the mix won't hurt at all, but doubt it is leading to brain drain.

[omaha79]

I am fully behind the stadium although I don't watch soccer at all. It will be a great addition to the Omaha sports scene. But as a metro of 1 million, Omaha does offer quite a bit in terms of sports. Don't know if we'll ever have the swim trials again, but we hosted 4 times, have the CWS, Creighton bball and baseball, UNO Hockey, bball and baseball to go along with the slumpbuster little league tournament and presidents day volleyball tournament. Not to mention the Lancers, Supernovas, and LOVB volleyball and Stormchasers.

I think for a metro of our size we are doing very well. Of course adding soccer to the mix won't hurt at all, but doubt it is leading to brain drain.

I would argue that you are extremely quite a bit more unlikely to support UNO and Creighton athletics if you didn't attend those schools. Having your only main sports options being schools is detrimental as there is a barrier to entry if you didn't attend or attended another school. Every school will have t-shirt fans, but it's just not as marketable to those with no connection. Winning helps, as we've seen with Creighton basketball, but it's nice to have non school based options.

Swim Trials, NCAA events, etc. are more one offs and are generally sporadic or once a year at best. I don't consider those true entertainment options. Even the CWS is more marketed to out of towners and some local die hards that have had tickets forever. It's just a week and a half a year. You need more than 1.5 weeks then 50.5 weeks of nothing.

Lancers are high school hockey. Will always be a tougher sell to many if you think lower level soccer is tough. Time will tell on Supernovas and LOVB to see if they have staying power. I hope they do. But, a soccer stadium that brings in 9 months a year of regular events is definitely an option.

[skinzfan23]

We are never going to have major professional sports, so going the amateur/college route is a good thing.

I lived in Cedar Rapids, IA for a few years, granted they are quite a bit smaller than Omaha, but there were only a level of the Lancers for hockey and Single A baseball....trust me we have it pretty good. As has been mentioned many times, Omaha is an event town that does really well drawing attendance for big events. That is much more than most cities can say.

[omahahawk]

I am not sure what the specific fan makeup of the Union Omaha fan base is but I can only tell you this as it relates to brain drain. When the US was doing so well on the world scene a few years back I could not believe the number of young people that were into it, packing the bars in Dundee and Benson to watch those games. I think it bodes well for what Omaha is trying to do. Also, since you mention Cedar Rapids it is interesting to note that apparently Des Moines got their stadium greenlighted https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fundi ... fa4d&ei=11. How incredibly fitting would it be for Omaha to make the same announcement about the same time of the World Cup finale in New Jersey this year?

[omaha79]

We are never going to have major professional sports, so going the amateur/college route is a good thing.

I lived in Cedar Rapids, IA for a few years, granted they are quite a bit smaller than Omaha, but there were only a level of the Lancers for hockey and Single A baseball....trust me we have it pretty good. As has been mentioned many times, Omaha is an event town that does really well drawing attendance for big events. That is much more than most cities can say.

Omaha is not Cedar Rapids. They can certainly carve a niche that's well above what Cedar Rapids has to offer. I don't really consider that a close comparison.

A city like Omaha should have some combination of things like USL Soccer (which is what this discussion is about), AHL Hockey (we failed at it, but Des Moines has had it for years), NBA G-League, etc.

That's the entire point of this discussion is that there is a middle ground between NCAA sports for schools that many likely didn't attend and one off events vs. Major League Sports, which so many in this city seem to think we deserve, but haven't come close to earning.

I just never get why someone automatically considers Creighton athletics a viable sports entertainment option for people that didn't go there. I have zero interest in supporting a school I didn't attend and doesn't generally align with my values. Luckily, I went to Omaha. So, I do have that option. But, if I didn't, I likely wouldn't support them either. In Omaha, you're basically forced to be a T-shirt fan of some college you didn't attend if you want to regularly enjoy live sports, which is kind of weird when you think about it but we were all conditioned that way as most were baptized into the church/cult of Nebraska football as some kind of birthright in this state. Beyond that, only the Storm Chaser/Lancers were your other options for 40 years. Union and Supernovas are trying to finally change that and that's what a medium sized city should try to provide, if possible.

At absolute minimum, we should be comparing ourselves to Des Moines, and other similar sized cities, not Cedar Rapids, but also not Kansas City/Minneapolis either.

[skinzfan23]

I will 100% argue that college sports are much more desirable than g-league basketball. The Iowa Wolves typically avg 3-4,000 which is only about 20% of what Creighton gets. Plus amateur sports don't get any visibility on tv like the CWS or Creighton basketball do.

And my comparison to Cedar Rapids, was only to say that I have lived somewhere where sports/entertainment were almost non-existent for a city of that size. Of course, Omaha should do much better and it absolutely does. Outside of the Iowa Cubs, I think Omaha beats Des Moines for any sports related entertainment as well (again, which it should)

[nebugeater]

I will 100% argue that college sports are much more desirable than g-league basketball. The Iowa Wolves typically avg 3-4,000 which is only about 20% of what Creighton gets. Plus amateur sports don't get any visibility on tv like the CWS or Creighton basketball do.

And my comparison to Cedar Rapids, was only to say that I have lived somewhere where sports/entertainment were almost non-existent for a city of that size. Of course, Omaha should do much better and it absolutely does. Outside of the Iowa Cubs, I think Omaha beats Des Moines for any sports related entertainment as well (again, which it should)

Come on, you have got to love some Kernels Baseball!!!!!
I can poke you with that because we lived in CR for about 10 years!

[omaha79]

I will 100% argue that college sports are much more desirable than g-league basketball. The Iowa Wolves typically avg 3-4,000 which is only about 20% of what Creighton gets. Plus amateur sports don't get any visibility on tv like the CWS or Creighton basketball do.

And my comparison to Cedar Rapids, was only to say that I have lived somewhere where sports/entertainment were almost non-existent for a city of that size. Of course, Omaha should do much better and it absolutely does. Outside of the Iowa Cubs, I think Omaha beats Des Moines for any sports related entertainment as well (again, which it should)

Just because something only draws 3-4k doesn't mean it doesn't have value as well. That's the problem with Omaha mentality and always has been. it's not about having one overwhelming thing you can swing around in other peoples faces to act like you are somehow superior to other cities. It's about having options.

Yes, Creighton does very well with attendance. It will be interesting to see how they weather a bad season or several. And, if they at some point hire a coach that isn't as great, but that's neither here nor there.

The point is that I am neither a Catholic or Creighton alum. Creighton Bluejays hold absolutely nothing for me. You couldn't pay me to attend their sporting events. I generally dislike many things about them. Even if they draw 30k a game, that's a fraction of the population of the city. I'm still confident in my assertion that even with their impressive attendance numbers, there are far more people in Omaha that are not Creighton fans than are. That leaves plenty of room for other options for people to enjoy.

If you remember, prior to Union Omaha, Gary Green explored bringing NBA G League to Omaha. This was maybe around 2018. they would have played at Ralston Arena. There just wasn't the will to make it happen. We got USL Soccer instead. We are now trying to keep the USL team long term. The point is, if your only eggs are in the basket of Creighton or Omaha as your only civic sports treasures, you're poorer than many communities.

And, yes, if we bring up Des Moines, they regularly crush Omaha on Minor League baseball attendance. Des Moines has AHL Hockey that does decently. They have G-League. Des Moines just approved their own USL Stadium after it had been stuck in development heck for quite sometime. They just announced a women's team, which is the goal of Union Omaha as well. They have always had Des Moines Buccaneers, but granted they don't draw as well as the Lancers. They are doing these things all while being in the shadow of Drake and Iowa State with Iowa looming a couple hours away. It is possible to have a thriving NCAA scene but not completely abandon everything else like Omaha did for a generation.



https://who13.com/news/metro-news/propo ... mens-team/

[skinzfan23]

Again, I am all for expanded sports scene in Omaha, but you have to understand marketing and basic business sense to understand that there is only so far people's discretionary money will take them. I would much rather have a few large drawing events then some poorly attended events that only fill 1/4 of an arena. Even the Supernovas have done amazing for attendance. Going off of the Wolves attendance in DM, that would be horrible to see only 3,000 people in CHI. The atmosphere for those types of events is terrible.

I truly would love to see the Union stadium get built and the expanded scene in Omaha, but just b/c you don't like Creighton doesn't mean that they aren't still considered "Omaha's team". I am sorry that you don't align with their beliefs and that is fine but I have personally had several amazing experiences there including when my son had cancer and Bruce Rasmussen allowing us to go see the team before the game in the locker room and sit on the bench. Definitely a gesture they didn't have to make but one that will I forever share because of how they went above and beyond.

[omaha79]

Again, I am all for expanded sports scene in Omaha, but you have to understand marketing and basic business sense to understand that there is only so far people's discretionary money will take them. I would much rather have a few large drawing events then some poorly attended events that only fill 1/4 of an arena. Even the Supernovas have done amazing for attendance. Going off of the Wolves attendance in DM, that would be horrible to see only 3,000 people in CHI. The atmosphere for those types of events is terrible.

I truly would love to see the Union stadium get built and the expanded scene in Omaha, but just b/c you don't like Creighton doesn't mean that they aren't still considered "Omaha's team". I am sorry that you don't align with their beliefs and that is fine but I have personally had several amazing experiences there including when my son had cancer and Bruce Rasmussen allowing us to go see the team before the game in the locker room and sit on the bench. Definitely a gesture they didn't have to make but one that will I forever share because of how they went above and beyond.

I suppose some are just content to lag behind other cities, like Des Moines in terms of options. That's fine, I guess. yes, you can talk about wanting a few well attended events vs. more smaller events, but I still don't believe Creighton Basketball has to be the end all, be all, of Omaha. Yes, they draw 18k. But, what is that market penetration of the total sports landscape in Omaha? Maybe it is just a situation where we only value NCAA and winning NCAA at that. I don't know. But, that just confirms what I've been saying all along: Omaha is a terrible overall sports market for anything that we do not perceive as a top tier big event.

But, you don't grow anything if you don't push. If you don't build a soccer facility, you won't have a soccer team. If you don't try to bring in something like G-League (which absolutely could play at Ralston vs. CHI), you won't know. I do know the precedents aren't good as we have lost or struggled with most things we've ever tried like AHL Hockey, CBA basketball, and even things like UNO Basketball, gets almost zero bump from being in the NCAA Tournament.

Maybe I'm letting my general disdain for Creighton University color my responses more than I should, but I refuse to acknowledge them as the full representation of sports in Omaha. they are a niche private Jesuit school and have reached a point of prestige based on influence, results, and being about all their is to do in the winter around here. I wish them luck, but I'll never support it and will go out of my way to support anything that is not Creighton University related.

But, if you had to ask me, I'd suggest the Des Moines area is head and shoulders better supporting their local options than Omaha is.

[jomaha9]

Comparing Des Moines and Omaha is apples to oranges in terms of sports options. Omaha has a larger fanbase in college sports overall due to Creighton and UNO being located in the city. UNL is only an hour away as well and satisfies some of the sports demand as Omaha people regularly go to Lincoln for games.

On the other hand, Des Moines does not have a major college within an hour of the city and minor league sports are the only option for them.

I could see Omaha growing support for Union Omaha and eventually expanding into something like the NBA G League or UFL football if there is a venue to support it. Major league sports are likely not viable in our lifetimes here.

[Linkin5]

Comparing Des Moines and Omaha is apples to oranges in terms of sports options. Omaha has a larger fanbase in college sports overall due to Creighton and UNO being located in the city. UNL is only an hour away as well and satisfies some of the sports demand as Omaha people regularly go to Lincoln for games.

On the other hand, Des Moines does not have a major college within an hour of the city and minor league sports are the only option for them.

I could see Omaha growing support for Union Omaha and eventually expanding into something like the NBA G League or UFL football if there is a venue to support it. Major league sports are likely not viable in our lifetimes here.

Kind of confused by your post. Drake University is in Des Moines and Iowa State is like 30 minutes away. Also, there are obviously a ton of Hawkeye fans in Des Moines.

[HskrFanMike]

On the other hand, Des Moines does not have a major college within an hour of the city and minor league sports are the only option for them.

Iowa State alums would like to have a word with you.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Casey's ... M0gBUAM%3D

[skinzfan23]

Drake isn't a major university as far as sports go. They do have the occasional march madness showing but other than that, they aren't a big draw. But you are correct, Ames is only 30 min away and that is what the majority of Des Moines people support for college sports.

[omaha79]

Comparing Des Moines and Omaha is apples to oranges in terms of sports options. Omaha has a larger fanbase in college sports overall due to Creighton and UNO being located in the city. UNL is only an hour away as well and satisfies some of the sports demand as Omaha people regularly go to Lincoln for games.

On the other hand, Des Moines does not have a major college within an hour of the city and minor league sports are the only option for them.

I could see Omaha growing support for Union Omaha and eventually expanding into something like the NBA G League or UFL football if there is a venue to support it. Major league sports are likely not viable in our lifetimes here.

yeah. this doesn't make sense. Drake is right there. ISU is no more of a drive than Gretna to downtown Omaha. Iowa is as close, roughly, as UNL is to downtown Omaha. Very similar, if anything.

[omaha79]

Drake isn't a major university as far as sports go. They do have the occasional march madness showing but other than that, they aren't a big draw. But you are correct, Ames is only 30 min away and that is what the majority of Des Moines people support for college sports.

Drake has as much or more pull than UNO, and you put UNO in the list of why Omaha can't or shouldn't compete with Des Moines.

I'd put Drake basketball as a step above UNO in terms of "hearts and minds" in Des Moines vs. UNO, even when Drake is down. both have had bright spots of late, but are still secondary in the local sports scene.

UNO has hockey. Can't ignore that at 6k a game. That is impressive in the world of college hockey. Drake doesn't have that, but they do have football which draws a few thousand a game. Not a straight wash, but somewhat is comparable to hockey.

[jomaha9]

Fair enough. I forgot that Drake existed. I agree that it is comparable to UNO sports.

Des Moines does not have a second university that has a sports following, though I was also under the impression that ISU is quite a ways away from Des Moines.

Either way, I agree that Omaha needs to support minor league sports and get behind projects like the Union Omaha stadium.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

On the other hand, Des Moines does not have a major college within an hour of the city and minor league sports are the only option for them.

Iowa State alums would like to have a word with you.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Casey's ... M0gBUAM%3D

[JDirte]

Omaha is just too big to care about Minor League Sports. The success of Nebraska football and college sports in the area also makes minor league sports feel well extra minor league. Soccer is a bit different in that I think it can be successful on a relative scale.

Its really too bad that Omaha was too small of a city back in the day to have a professional team grandfathered into a professional league. One team would absolutely murder in Omaha. NHL would probably be the best bet, but that probably a Hail Mary at best.

[Bob from Omaha]

"Success of Nebraska Football"

Going on a quarter century ago.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Unrelated to the pro vs minor league talk, but what an opportunity for Union Pacific for naming a naming rights deal. Bring the historic rail cars there on a permanent basis. Timing is ripe especially considering their acquisition and rumors of employment growth in Omaha coming as a result.

[Linkin5]

Unrelated to the pro vs minor league talk, but what an opportunity for Union Pacific for naming a naming rights deal. Bring the historic rail cars there on a permanent basis. Timing is ripe especially considering their acquisition and rumors of employment growth in Omaha coming as a result.

Jays, you wanna drop anything you’ve heard about a potential new UP tower?

[nebport5]

Unrelated to the pro vs minor league talk, but what an opportunity for Union Pacific for naming a naming rights deal. Bring the historic rail cars there on a permanent basis. Timing is ripe especially considering their acquisition and rumors of employment growth in Omaha coming as a result.

Union Pacific Pitch at Union Omaha Stadium.


I’ll also reiterate my desire for a U.P. Museum that's locomotive/train car centric.

[F0R_L1F3]

Unrelated to the pro vs minor league talk, but what an opportunity for Union Pacific for naming a naming rights deal. Bring the historic rail cars there on a permanent basis. Timing is ripe especially considering their acquisition and rumors of employment growth in Omaha coming as a result.

Union Pacific Pitch at Union Omaha Stadium.


I’ll also reiterate my desire for a U.P. Museum that's locomotive/train car centric.

Yes to the museum!

[BRoss]

An interesting detail mentioned in yesterday's city council meeting is the creation of a new diagonal street running from 11th St to the entrance of the stadium. They are referring to this new street as “the promenade”, which obviously be the main pedestrian artery for the adjacent retail/entertainment and housing.

Here's the start of that portion of the city council meeting:

Here's a few of the things shared:

Union Omaha Map.JPG

Union Omaha District.JPG

Many of the buildings depicted above are potential concepts and not currently planned.

Union Omaha District Promenade.JPG

Note that the image on the right in the above picture is from a similar concept elsewhere.

Union Omaha District Promenade 2.JPG

Union Omaha District Connections.JPG

Union Omaha District Property.JPG

It was also mentioned that at the time the city would connect the new street from 10th to 11th, the UP event space(aka where the train sits during the CWS) would be pushed back to accommodate the street extension.

For those not wanting to watch the meeting video, Grow Omaha also mentioned this in their latest update:

The Omaha City Council this week heard additional public comments regarding the future Union Omaha stadium project on unused railroad land near Millwork Commons in North Downtown.

Proponents of the measure showed additional renderings and highlighted a pedestrian-focused promenade that would extend from 11th & Izard Street to the stadium, cutting straight through the future mixed-use development.

Additionally, we learned that existing Union Pacific track along the east side of the project site will be preserved, including the current event space where the railroad displays locomotives during the College World Series. That display track will be pushed east once the city moves forward with the planned truck route project that would extend 10th Street through the Cuming Street intersection, connecting it to 11th Street.

The soccer stadium is being built to accommodate the current Union Omaha team and a future professional women’s soccer team. The stadium will have capacity for up to 8,500 fans and will anchor a mixed-use district that will have residential, office and retail development. The stadium and related infrastructure will cost $140 million, while the total district is anticipated to cost $400 million to develop.

[omahahawk]

Gorgeous plans. UP musuem?......yes please

[iamjacobm]

TIF package going to the planning board next week. Will get a lot more info when the docs are posted.

[WiinterU]

Gorgeous plans. UP musuem?......yes please

We already have the Durham Museum in Downtown Omaha and the Union Pacific Museum in Downtown Council Bluffs.

[Imissomaha]

The Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs is OK but it's not state of the art. I've always said we need a union pacific railroad museum like the one in Sacramento and an adjacent college World Series Hall of Fame. One big building housing to awesome destinations.

[Brad]

Here are the planning board documents:
https://planning.cityofomaha.org/images ... ary/09.pdf

[almighty_tuna]

Notable exerpts:

Total development (stadium + mixed use): $316.5M
TIF Requested: $48.2M (~15%)
City of Omaha will own the stadium and lease it back to Downtown Soccer Stadium, Inc. (DSSI)

490 residential units at market rate:
25% studio (575sqft)
45% 1 bed (750sqft)
20% 2 bed (1150sqft)
10% 3 bed (1400sqft)

Street work:
10th & Cuming will be reworked so 10th connects to 11th
Tracks will be removed along and west of new 11th street
Izard will shut down at 12th. No connection to 11th

[nebport5]

Seems like an unfortunate place for the CSO given the larger project, but I’d imagine there’s a good geographical reason behind it.

[Doctor Fate]

Notable exerpts:

Total development (stadium + mixed use): $316.5M
TIF Requested: $48.2M (~15%)
City of Omaha will own the stadium and lease it back to Downtown Soccer Stadium, Inc. (DSSI)

490 residential units at market rate:
25% studio (575sqft)
45% 1 bed (750sqft)
20% 2 bed (1150sqft)
10% 3 bed (1400sqft)

Street work:
10th & Cuming will be reworked so 10th connects to 11th
Tracks will be removed along and west of new 11th street
Izard will shut down at 12th. No connection to 11th

Another excerpt:

The applicant anticipates construction on the Stadium beginning about the third quarter of 2026.
The stadium has an approximately 18-month buildout and has a target opening of spring of
2028. A small portion of Mixed-Use District may be constructed concurrently with the Stadium.
However, the majority of the Mixed-Use District will come online following completion of the
Stadium – in 2029 and 2030.

Also 39,000 sq ft of retail.