LIVING HERE
Environment that promotes growth, advancement, and participation
AKSARBEN VILLAGE
Contributing factors to Greater Omaha’s quality of life includes an educational system that produces a higher number of high school and college graduates than the national average; a business environment that ensures graduates and young professionals remain in the metro; and a diverse range of cultural, entertainment, sports, and performance events and attractions that appeal to our diverse populations.
Greater opportunity for higher education Greater Omaha is well-known for its excellent education system with: • Eighteen colleges and universities with a combined enrollment just short of 71,000 students • Two internationally recognized medical schools — the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Creighton University Medical Center
JOSLYN ART MUSEUM
Higher quality of life and lower cost of living Employers cite Greater Omaha’s low cost of living and high quality of life as key factors in their ability to attract and retain employees at all levels in their organizations.
Quality of life Greater Omaha offers a diverse range of cosmopolitan attractions that contribute significantly to the quality of living; appeal to urban, suburban and rural lifestyles; and put the metro area at the top of national media quality of life rankings. Many are testament to the strong publicprivate partnerships Omaha enjoys, as well as the area’s active philanthropic community.
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P E RF ORMING ARTS Holland Performing Arts Center – Built at a cost of $90 million, this worldclass facility has 2,000 seats in the main concert hall and 300 seats in the recital hall. It is home to the 92-year-old Omaha Symphony and hosts dance, music and other performances by some of the world’s most renowned artists, presented by Omaha Performing Arts. Orpheum Theater – Restored to its ornate early 20th century splendor, the Orpheum hosts national performances as part of the Omaha Performing Arts Broadway series, as well as Opera Omaha and a wide range of other stage presentations and lectures. Omaha Community Playhouse – The largest community theater in the United States, the Omaha Community Playhouse presents plays and musicals on its main stage and black box theater. It also offers unique educational programming for adults and children interested in the performing arts. The Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center – Home to the Omaha Theater Company, the only resident, touring professional theater company in Omaha and one of the largest in the country, the Rose Theater for children and families is the result of a more than $10.3 million renovation of the historic Astro Theater in 1993 and is currently in the midst of an exterior renovation.
THE ROSE BLUMPKIN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
MUSEUMS Joslyn Art Museum – The area’s premier art museum, the Joslyn Art Museum has an extensive collection of works from antiquity to the present. Its original award-winning art deco concert hall and art museum received a 58,000 square foot addition in 1994 at a cost of $15.95 million. The Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden and the Discovery Garden were added in 2009.
El Museo Latino – One of 11 Latino museums in the United States, El Museo Latino is the only Latino art and history museum in the Midwest. The museum offers a wide array of permanent and temporary exhibits, as well as art and dance classes, lectures, artists-in-residence and other special programs – provided bilingually.
The Omaha Children’s Museum is ranked within the top 15 percent of children’s museums worldwide. The Durham Museum – The historic art deco Union Station underwent a significant restoration in 1996 at a cost of $22 million. More recent additions include additional space for temporary exhibits and a 256-seat theatre-style auditorium, equipped with distance learning equipment. The Durham Museum has partnerships with The Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress, National Archives and prestigious private institutions including the Field Museum in Chicago.
Love’s Jazz & Arts Center – Named for Omaha jazz musician Preston Love, the center is the only one in the region offering comprehensive African American arts exhibits, performance-based arts, cultural and historical preservation and archives. Part of the North Omaha revitalization, Love’s Jazz & Arts Center provides a gallery and performance space for local artists.
Strategic Air & Space Museum – Built with a $33 million grass roots capital campaign, the Strategic Air & Space Museum is thought to have one of the most extensive exhibits of aircraft and artifacts from World War II and the Cold War to the present. Drawing visitors from all 50 states and 20 countries, the museum continues to enhance its collections and programs with traveling exhibits, children’s gallery, flight simulator and more. Omaha Children’s Museum – A primary participatory museum, providing hands-on exhibits, workshops, programs, presentations and special events – including numerous national exhibits. Educational programming is a special focus for the museum. In 2007, a $6.6 million renovation was completed of the museum’s permanent exhibits.
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COMMUNITY SPACES Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge – The nation’s only pedestrian bridge to link two states, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is a focal point of Omaha’s continued riverfront development. Built at a cost of $22 million with public and private funds, the 3,000-foot bridge spans the Missouri River, welcoming pedestrians and cyclists between Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Aksarben Village – Once home to the AK-SAR-BEN racetrack, grandstand and coliseum, Aksarben Village, a $300 million development, continues to be a central community gathering place. It boasts outdoor concerts at its Stinson Park, as well as a farmers market, festivals and events. Aksarben Village offers shopping, restaurants and entertainment, office and residential space and is connected to the area’s network of bike trails.
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is the nation’s only pedestrian bridge to link two states.
Midtown Crossing – The heart of an ambitious neighborhood revitalization effort, Mutual of Omaha’s $325 million mixed-use urban development project has created a million square feet of commercial and residential space in seven buildings – including renowned restaurants and shopping, health club, theater and green spaces that welcome farmer’s markets, Jazz on the Green, Yoga Rocks the Park and other concerts and events. Village Pointe – An upscale lifestyle development in metro Omaha’s growing suburban western area, Village Pointe creates a pedestrian environment that emphasizes families, friends and a unique neighborhood experience. The openair design replicates a modern-day “main street” shopping district, as well as a movie theater, restaurants and community spaces to host concerts, farmer’s markets and family events. Shadow Lake Towne Center – Integrates a combination of home, fashion, grocery, and lifestyle retailing. From shopping and dining, to summer concerts and Kids Club activities Shadow Lake Towne Center is a destination for the whole family.
MICHAEL PHELPS AT THE U.S. OLYMPIC SWIM TRIALS IN OMAHA, NE
SPORTS U.S. Olympic Swim Trials – CenturyLink Center Omaha has been home to the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. In 2016, Omaha will once again have the honor of hosting the signature event. The trials are the most important event of every four-year cycle for any Olympic sport. All kinds of records have been broken in Omaha. NCAA Men’s College World Series – Hosted in Omaha for more than 60 years, the NCAA Men’s College World Series now makes its home in the beautiful $131 million downtown stadium, TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Omaha Storm Chasers Baseball – The AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, the Omaha Storm Chasers call Werner Park home. The $36 million ballpark was completed in 2011 and is owned by Sarpy County. Omaha Lancers Hockey – A member of the United States Hockey League, the team has been a staple on Omaha’s sports scene for 27 years. All home games are played at the Ralston Arena – a new 3,500-seat venue which opened in Oct. 2012. Tournament Golf – Omaha draws national attention as host of the Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha golf tournament at Champions Run. In July 2013, the historic Omaha Country Club hosted the U.S. Senior Open, the club’s first United States Golf Association Championship. Greater Omaha has more than 45 public and private golf courses available.
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ATTRACTIONS AND EVENTS CenturyLink Center Omaha – The 1.1 million-square-foot facility contains an 18,000+ seat arena that attracts the world’s top concerts. It is home to Creighton University Blue Jays men’s basketball and University of Nebraska at Omaha Maverick men’s hockey and is the venue for major sporting events. The convention center attracts auto shows, home and garden expos and corporate events, including the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting. Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha’s Botanical Center – This 100-acre living museum of unique four-season plant displays thrives south of downtown Omaha. The 32,000-square-foot visitor and education center includes a 5,000-square-foot floral display hall, an education wing containing two classrooms and one of the region’s only horticultural libraries. A favorite for visitors is the sprawling outdoor model train exhibit. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – Named #1 zoo in the United States in 2012 by Trip Advisor, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is nationally renowned for its animal preservation efforts. The 150-acre zoo features America’s largest aquarium-in-a-zoo, the world’s largest indoor desert and nocturnal exhibit and America’s largest indoor rainforest, as well as other world-class exhibits, including an IMAX 3D theater.
Old Market – Downtown Omaha’s art and entertainment district, the Old Market is home to many of the area’s most popular boutiques and shops, restaurants, galleries and antiques stores. It also offers a variety of residential accommodations from loft apartments and condominiums in historic buildings, to new construction as part of development and investment in downtown living and attractions. Film Streams – This nationallyrecognized nonprofit organization is dedicated to enhancing the cultural environment through the presentation and discussion of film as an art form. The two-screen Ruth Sokolof Theatre is located within the Saddle Creek Records development in North Downtown Omaha. In addition to its educational programs, the theater also attracts firstrun, foreign and classic films. Hot Shops Art Center – This historic warehouse building in North Downtown Omaha was renovated to create space for 50 artist studios, four art galleries and many exhibition spaces, throughout approximately 92,000 square feet of space. Special exhibits and open houses invite community engagement, along with educational programming including: glassblowing, jewelry making,
drawing and painting. It has inspired renovation and development of creative space in surrounding buildings. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts – This internationally recognized, artist-centered organization supports contemporary artists of exceptional talent with studio space, living accommodations and monthly stipend. Bemis Center programming also includes an Exhibitions Program to develop projects with international artists, a Community Arts program to create significant public art projects, education initiatives and community collaborations. A $2.6 million expansion completed in 2011 included the addition of five new live/work studios and 2,000 sq. ft. multipurpose space. KANEKO – KANEKO is a nonprofit open space that promotes creativity in the arts, sciences and philosophy. Its progressive exhibitions include public programming and conferences, performances, lectures, symposia and innovative programming designed to encourage the exploration and participation in the creative process. It’s hosted such events as Big Omaha, the nation’s most ambitious conference on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Boys Town – What began as Father Flanagan’s Boys Home to assist youth has grown to become a national organization serving children and families nationwide through foster families and other programs offered in 11 states and the District of Columbia. The organization continues to maintain its headquarters in the village of Boys Town. OMAHA’S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM
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Aug. 2013