Hammons: 'Hotel will start construction within 90 days'

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 1:27 am

WH story: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=163 ... rnd=162929

The Embassy Suites hotel at Southport West will have 450 rooms in two buildings, one with 250 rooms and the convention center (opening planned for September 2006 and apparently 7 stories as dictated by the FAA due the proximity of Millard Airport). The second building with the remainder of the rooms will start construction next March.

Hammons said the hotel will draw other businesses to the I-80 and 126th St interchange. "I can't tell you who they are, but I know growth with a lot of strength will be positioned on that 500 acres there aruond us," he said. "I know what I'm talking about, or I wouldn't be building myself."

City of La Vista will issue $3 million in bonds to buy the 12 acres of land which the convention center will sit on adjacent to the hotel. The city will also spend up to $18 million on construction for the conference center funded with a combination of bonds paid off by sales, property, and lodging taxes.

If you've driven by the property, you will note that there has been a flurry of utility/street work going on recently.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 1:36 am

I have nothing but positive things to say about that!! The FAA however can realign my foot in their |expletive|. Can't wait to see what crops up in the surrounding area. With a convention center restaurants are a given.

Sodak · Post by **Sodak** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 6:02 pm

Its great to see Hammons committing to the project and increasing the amount of rooms. I recall 250 was discussed, but now he is proposing 450 rooms. Omaha needs more rooms along I-80. I wonder if Hammons knows something we don't regarding destination retail coming to the site.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:17 pm

Sodak wrote: I wonder if Hammons knows something we don't regarding destination retail coming to the site.

My bet is that they do..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 1:07 am

I noticed they've begun pouring concrete for streets in Southport West.

In the paper today... La Vista annexing the development...

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1475700

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:27 am

Sounds like a winner. If they do extend out to about 156th street after the annexation, won't the city just about double in size and population?

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:41 pm

More on the annexation from the La Vista Sun.

http://www.lavistasun.com/site/tab5.cfm ... 6329&rfi=6

Double the population? I think a while ago there was talk that La Vista would eventually be the 5th largest city in the state.

Sodak · Post by **Sodak** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:27 am

There is no doubt that LaVista, Gretna and Omaha all are eyeing the Chalco unicorporated area (which has a population of over 14,000 people) for annexation. Omaha may be forced to annex south for growth and would have to challenge a previous Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that Omaha could not annex across county lines f it loses to Elkhorn. The decision is not very well reasoned and is very questionable considering the language of the statute that deals with Omaha's almost unfettered ability to annex contiguous agricultural land and cities under 10,000.

UNOstudent · Post by **UNOstudent** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 9:40 pm

it has nothing to do about the hotel, but it is the general area. my dad is currently on a job to redo part of southroads into offices for paypal b/c they are beginning to outgrown their current building. he also saw primitive plans for a second paypal building but has no timeframe.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 11:21 am

Maybe this explains why there has been activity in the former J.C.Penney Outlet Center the past month. They also repaved the entire parking lot last week.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 11:41 am

Good observation Chef!..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

lpgforms · Post by **lpgforms** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 1:35 pm

Saw this article in the Bellevue Leader about PayPal moving people into Bellevue, but gave no details where. I was thinking that they might be moving employees into some of the soon to be former Grumman office space. If PayPal is taking over the entire Penneys store, that is indeed good news.

http://www.bellevueleader.com/site/tab3 ... 9850&rfi=6

I also noticed a few weeks ago that they took down the ugly large Southroads sign in the western parking lot.

Post by **nebugeater** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 12:52 pm

For what it is worth the FOR LEASE signs are still up on the JCP former building in the S Raods property.