The October 23 Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

A building permit has been filed for Prestige Flower Child, a health-conscious restaurant chain, at 120 Regency Parkway on the north side of Regency Court. Construction has started in the parking lot northeast of Bonefish Grill and Borsheim’s. The 5,002 sq. ft., one-story structural steel frame building will include a commercial kitchen and covered outdoor patio dining.

KMR Fusion & Sushi Bar is coming soon to 906 North 16th Street, Suite B, just west of the Tip Top Apartments and next to Elie’s Chinchorro. An opening date has yet to be announced. The business previously appeared in property listings as Umphium Fusion & Sushi Bar.

Pint 9 Brewing Company at 10411 Port Road in Papillion has begun construction on an expansion into the adjacent bay to add a larger event space and additional storage. The project, called The Room at Pint 9 Brewing Co., will expand the brewery’s private party capacity and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Mai Thai Cuisine has opened in the former Mai Thai restaurant space in Aksarben Village. The Thai restaurant is located at 2279 South 67th Street. The new owners have extensively renovated the space.

Cunningham’s Pub & Grill will no longer be open on Sundays at either of its locations due to rising costs of NFL Sunday Ticket, according to owner Derek Richards. The local pub operates locations in Blackstone at 3814 Farnam Street and 10904 West Dodge Road.

Club Pilates announced that its fifth Omaha-area location will open Monday, November 17 in Gretna at 18870 Oakmont Drive, Suite 10. That’s just east of the Hy-Vee store in a retail strip that’s also home to Bisou Nail Spa and Aspen Creek Veterinary Clinic. Club Pilates offers low-impact, full-body Reformer Pilates workouts designed for all fitness levels.

Wander + Wonder Kids Play Café will hold a ribbon-cutting Monday, November 3rd at 9:30 a.m. at 120 North McKenna Avenue in downtown Gretna. The business will have a full-service barista serving beverages and food items and a “thoughtfully designed play area for independent and imaginative play.”

After more than three decades at 8061 Blondo Street, Blondo Bingo is moving to 7040 North 102 Circle in Cherry Hills Plaza. The transition is expected to be completed by November 1. The Cherry Hills location will continue Blondo Bingo’s full slate of weekly sessions.

After four years, Backswing Brewing Co. announced it will not renew its lease and will close its Omaha taproom at 3669 North 129th Street on October 31. The Lincoln brewery at 500 West South Street will remain open. Backswing beers will continue to be sold across Nebraska.

Burning Bridges will close its brick-and-mortar restaurant at 14544 West Center Road in Harvey Oaks Plaza. The location opened on December 13, 2023, in the former Sinful Burger space. A closing date has not been announced, and it’s unclear whether the food truck will remain in operation.

Scooter’s Coffee at 1209 South 119th Street will close on October 28. The location will remain open until 7 p.m. that day. Omaha-based Scooter’s Coffee operates more than 850 locations nationwide.

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The Fox Den Blends Craft, Comfort & Community

The Fox Den opened August 15th at 4916 Underwood Avenue, replacing La Bó just downstairs from Ooh De Lally. To be fair, it’s more of a refinement than a replacement. Where La Bó was a small-plate, tapas-inspired bar, The Fox Den is focused on approachable, elevated bar food with a robust, creative cocktail list. A concept designed to draw more foot traffic, it’s warm, inviting and distinctly local.

At the helm is general manager Bennet Riley, who got his culinary start at Mark’s Bistro—Ooh De Lally’s predecessor, known for its lobster roll and Mark’s mac-and-cheese.

“I was hired as a food runner and then kind of worked up to the front-of-house there,” Riley recalled. When Mark’s closed in June 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, Riley moved on to other opportunities but never fully left the restaurant world.

The Fox Den is an extension of Ooh De Lally’s mission and culture – same ownership, same staff and the same belief in second chances. Where Ooh De Lally leans into a full dining experience, The Fox Den offers something more intimate—a place to unwind, sip a cocktail and connect.

“We describe ourselves as like a training kitchen, but it’s also really about the community that we’re building and supporting our folks, even outside of the four walls of the building,” Riley said. “It does really feel like it’s just one big building with two different concepts.”

The overlap is strong—kitchen prep, dish and front-of-house teams work across both spaces, creating what he calls a “Venn diagram” of shared purpose.

Riley sees the partnership as philosophical as much as logistical. The Fox Den expands Ooh De Lally’s reach by drawing in a different kind of guest—those who might come for a cocktail but leave understanding the deeper mission behind it.

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Escape Lounges Plans to Open Eppley’s First-Ever Airport Lounge

For the first time ever, Omaha’s Eppley Airfield will have an airport lounge.

As part of Eppley’s $950 million terminal expansion and modernization project, Escape Lounges plans to open inside the airport in 2027. The lounge will be located after security in the new concourse and will open in 2027. The lounge will feature many of the amenities found at airline lounges in major hub airports.

Escape Lounges is based in Manchester, United Kingdom, and has 20 locations in the United States along with five in U.K. and two in Australia. The closest existing locations are at airports in Kansas City, Minneapolis, Northwest Arkansas and Tulsa, Okla.

All Eppley passengers, regardless of airline or ticket class, will be able to purchase access passes at the door. Select credit card holders or lounge membership program participants may receive complimentary access, including Priority Pass and Dragon Pass.

The lounge will offer a premium experience with complimentary food and beverages, a full-service bar, high-speed Wi-Fi, restrooms, charging ports, newspapers, televisions and expansive views of the airfield from its third-floor location.

“We’re excited to introduce this new amenity to our passengers and our community. This lounge underscores our commitment to providing premier customer service and an enhanced experience for travelers at OMA,” said Dave Roth, Chief Executive Officer of the Omaha Airport Authority. “It’s another step toward transforming Eppley Airfield into the best airport in the Midwest.”

In addition to the terminal expansion project, the Omaha Airport Authority recently completed construction of a $60 million, 825-feet-long, glass canopy that covers the front terminal drive’s drop-off and pick-up area.

Eppley Airfield is a medium-hub airport that served more than 5.2 million passengers in 2024 and is the largest airport in the Nebraska-Iowa region. Seven airlines provide approximately 70 departures per day to 34 nonstop destinations.

Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

The urban garden and park under construction at 727 South 13th Street will be called Polina Gardens, according to KETV. It will be owned and maintained by Lauritzen Gardens. Located southeast of 13th & Jones Street, the garden was designed by internationally renowned garden designer Piet Oudolf. The 1.2-acre site is on the same city block as Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and was previously a surface parking and small urban food garden. Polina Gardens is set to open in April 2026.

The Omaha Streetcar Authority Board this week approved several amendments to contracts related to final design and mainline construction. OSA approved an amendment to its contract with Alfred Benesch & Co., increasing the contract cost by $6.7 million for professional construction engineering services for the Harney Street Bridge project. Jacobs Project Management Co.’s will provide additional engineering services and serve as owner’s representative for the mainline construction for an additional $6.7 million. HDR’s contract was amended to add $6.5 million for additional final design and engineering services. The amendments are within the budget for professional services. The $440 million initial streetcar line is anticipated to open in September 2028.

The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition awarded the Cottages by Siena Francis House in Omaha the 2025 Recognition of Housing Tax Credit Excellence in the Housing for Special Populations category. Located near 16th & Charles Street north of the Siena Francis House main campus, The Cottages by Siena Francis House provides 50 affordable homes for homeless individuals served by the Siena Francis House. Tenants include those who have been homeless and have been using services at Siena Francis House for an extended period who are selected based on their likelihood of successful transition.

Nebraska Cancer Specialists plans to open a full-service clinic at the recently announced Bryan Elkhorn Campus to be built southwest of 204th & West Center Road. The 10,000 sq. ft. clinic will be Nebraska Cancer Specialists’ sixth Omaha-are location and 16th location in Nebraska and Iowa. Phase I of the Bryan Elkhorn campus will include two medical buildings totaling 137,000 sq. ft. The clinic is expected to open in 2027.

The Omaha City Council approved the city’s final capital commitment to the Riverfront Parks redevelopment project. While the new parks completely opened in 2023, additional work has continued and recently wrapped up this year. This includes the resurfacing of parking lots at Lewis and Clark Landing, engineering flood infrastructure and constructing the recently opened pickleball courts.

The city council approved $7.9 million in additional funds to reimburse Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority for related expenses. The total capital investment is $330 million, while maintenance and programming cost another $60 million. Private partnerships and the philanthropic community have invested $350 million to cover most of those costs.

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Union Pacific Corporation today reported 2025 third quarter net income of $1.8 billion, or $3.01 per diluted share. Results include merger costs of $41 million, or $0.07 per diluted share. Adjusted 2025 third quarter net income of $1.8 billion, or $3.08 per diluted share compares to 2024 third quarter net income of $1.7 billion, or $2.75 per diluted share.

Children’s Nebraska, the region’s leading pediatric hospital, has been verified as the first and only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in the state of Nebraska by the American College of Surgeons. The recognition is the highest status for trauma care and reflects the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive, 24/7 trauma services for children with emergent needs – including immediate access to specialized surgeons, advanced imaging and critical support services.

The Super 8 hotel at 11610 West Dodge Road has converted to Days Inn by Wyndham Omaha. The official brand transfer date was September 25. The 98-room hotel underwent a complete building renovation.

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools plans to replace Little Waves Family Swim School at 17602 Wright Street in Legacy Village. Aqua-Tots has a current location near 144th & Fort Street. According to a building permit, the pool facilities will largely remain, while the lobby and bathrooms will be renovated.

Valmont Industries, Inc. reported financial results for the third quarter that ended September 27. Net sales increased 2.5 percent to $1.05 billion, compared to $1.02 billion. Operating income increased 12.5 percent to $141.5 million or 13.5 percent of net sales, compared to $125.7 million or 12.3 percent of net sales.

The Tenaska Frontier Generating Station, part of Omaha-based Tenaska, recently celebrated 25 years of operations. The station is located in Grimes County, Texas. Built in 2000, the natural gas-fueled facility has played a vital role in powering homes and businesses across the Lonestar state.

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CenterPointe is hosting a Winter Essentials Donation Drive to help individuals stay safe and warm. They’re collecting new or gently used coats, gloves, hats, hoodies, scarves, blankets, socks and sleeping bags. They are especially in need of larger sizes. Kid’s toys are also welcome to bring a little extra joy this season. Donations are accepted through November 14 at the CenterPointe Campus for Hope, 1490 North 16th Street in Omaha, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Metropolitan Community College is the recipient of a $50,000 grant award from the Johnny Baxter Carriage House Foundation. The grant will go toward helping Automotive Technology and Diesel Technology programs at the College. It will continue to provide resources and support early access for high school students interested in the trades.

The Millard Public Schools Foundation is raising money to create an eSports room inside the GreenState Millard Activity Center, which is being built on a 40-acre site west of 204th and Q Street. The room will house 16 eSports stations complete with desks and headsets.

Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) has launched Family Connects, an evidence-based model that provides comprehensive and personalized care for newborns and their families through home visits by registered nurses who help families identify and connect to community resources. Family Connects is free and available to families who live in Douglas County and deliver babies at CHI Health CUMC – Bergan Mercy and CHI Health Immanuel, including new parents, foster parents, adoptive parents and families who already have children.

Last week at its Love 4 Lots 10-Year Celebration, the Omaha Municipal Land Bank reported that since its founding a decade ago, it has taken more than 1,562 residential properties and helped generate $83.5 million in economic impact. The local, governmental, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization acquires vacant, abandoned or dilapidated properties throughout Omaha, then partners with the community to transform them into positive neighborhood assets.

The nonprofit Threshold CoC held “Project Connect” at Baxter Arena this week. The free event hosted dozens of organizations which provided services and support for community members in need. Attendees could access health screenings and vaccinations as well as assistance with things like veteran benefits, legal aid, benefits and more.

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Creighton Athletics inducted five members into its Hall of Fame last Thursday, marking the largest class in its history. Headlining the monumental group was former Creighton women’s basketball coach and athletic director Bruce Rasmussen, who helped lead the Bluejays into the Big East Conference. Alongside him were Ethan Finlay (men’s soccer, 2008-11), Marcy (Gans) Parker (women’s soccer, 2005-08), Ryan Gripp (baseball, 1997-99) and Jaali Winters (volleyball, 2015-18).

Union Omaha continued its late-season tear on Saturday, defeating Forward Madison FC 4-0 at Werner Park. This Saturday, the club will host Fan Appreciation Night for its match at 6 p.m. against Spokane Velocity in a 2024 USL League One Final rematch. Union Omaha sits in fourth place in USL League One standings and can clinch the final first-round home match with a win, or a loss from fifth-place FC Naples on Saturday.

No. 23 Creighton men’s basketball defeated No. 16 Iowa State 71-58 in its season-opening exhibition last Friday. The new-look Bluejays, featuring nine new members on their roster, were led in scoring by former Charlotte guard Nik Graves, who posted 13 points and five assists. Blake Harper, the MEAC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year at Howard last season, added 10 points and six rebounds. Creighton did not have Iowa transfer Owen Freeman and Jackson McAndrew available for the exhibition. On Saturday, Creighton hosts Colorado State for its second and final exhibition at the CHI Health Center at 6 p.m.

Former Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner played in his first NBA game Wednesday night, starting the Hornets’ season-opening game against the Nets. He picked up right where he left off at Creighton, posting a 10-point, 11-rebound, double-double on 5-for-6 shooting from the field. Kalkbrenner is the first former Bluejay to start his first NBA game in program history.

Omaha women’s soccer will conclude its season this weekend and prepare for play in the Summit League Women’s Soccer Championship beginning next Saturday, Nov. 1. Omaha is 5-7-4 (2-3-1) this season and currently sits in sixth place in the Summit League with two matches to play. Tonight, they host South Dakota at Caniglia Field at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Kansas City comes to town for a match at 1 p.m. Both teams sit directly above the Mavericks in Summit League standings.

The NCAA DI Women’s Volleyball Committee revealed its first Top 16 rankings on Sunday, and Creighton volleyball debuted at No. 10. The top 16 teams in women’s volleyball host NCAA Tournament matches each December. Creighton is on track to do so for the fourth straight season halfway through conference play. This weekend, Creighton looks to remain unbeaten in conference play while on a road trip to the Northeast. First up is Providence on Friday at 4 p.m. On Saturday, they will face UConn at 3 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The Omaha Supernovas will select eighth overall in the upcoming Major League Volleyball draft. Coming off their regular-season title from the 2025 season, the Supernovas will select last in the first round for the second straight year at No. 8 overall. With the order rotating each round, the franchise will move up one spot in each subsequent selection, holding the No. 15, No. 22 and No. 29 picks. The MLV draft will be held on Monday, November 24. Broadcast information and additional details will be announced soon.

Creighton volleyball senior Annalea Maeder was named the Big East Setter of the Week for the second week in a row, her fourth honor of the season. She averaged 11.67 assists, 2.17 digs and 1.33 kills per set in sweeps over St. John’s and Seton Hall last week.

Big East Media Day was held at Madison Square Garden this Tuesday, October 21. Creighton women’s basketball was picked to finish fifth in the conference by Big East coaches, and no Bluejays were selected to the All-Big East Preseason Team. Creighton men’s basketball was picked to finish third in the Big East, and four players received preseason honors. Iowa transfer Owen Freeman was named to the Preseason All-Big East First Team, while his former teammate Josh Dix was named to the Second Team. Charlotte transfer Nik Graves and sophomore Jackson McAndrew were selected to the preseason All-Big East Third Team.

Creighton women’s basketball hosted DII Missouri Western for its first exhibition game of the season Wednesday night and cruised to an impressive 117-66 victory over the Griffons. Their second and final exhibition game will be against North Dakota State University this Sunday, October 26 in Sioux Falls, S.D. at 12 noon.

Upcoming Games

• Omaha Volleyball vs. St. Thomas | Thursday, Oct. 23 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha women’s soccer vs. South Dakota | Thursday, Oct. 23 | 7 p.m.
• #13 Creighton Volleyball at Providence | Friday, Oct. 24 | 4 p.m.
• #23 Creighton men’s basketball vs. Colorado State (exhibition) | Friday, Oct. 24 | 6 p.m.
• Creighton men’s soccer at Butler | Saturday, Oct. 25 | 12 p.m.
• Omaha Volleyball vs. Oral Roberts | Saturday, Oct. 25 | 12 p.m.
• Omaha men’s soccer vs. Denver | Saturday, 25 | 2:30 p.m.
• #13 Creighton Volleyball at Connecticut | Saturday, Oct. 25 | 3 p.m.
• Creighton women’s soccer at Butler | Saturday, Oct. 25 | 6 p.m.
• Union Omaha vs. Spokane Velocity | Saturday, Oct. 25 | 6 p.m.
• Creighton women’s basketball vs. North Dakota State (Exhibition) | Sunday, Oct. 26 | 12 p.m.
• Omaha women’s soccer vs. Kansas City | Sunday, Oct. 26 | 1 p.m.

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It’s Spooky Season in Omaha, and our local arts venues are offering several fun (and not so scary,) ways to celebrate…

The Rose Theater will be performing “GOOSEBUMPS – The Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium” through October 26th. Based on R.L. Stine’s novel, and featuring a local cast that includes young actors, the show follows the students of Woods Mill Middle School, as they work to put on a spooky show with mayhem inducing results.

The Rose encourages the audience to come early and stay late for “Ghoul-tastic Goosebumps Activities”. Additional information can be found at RoseTheater.org.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo is hosting Zootacular through October 30th. The evening event features trick-or-treating, live entertainment, food and nighttime animal encounters. For those 21 and older, the Halloween Hideaways speakeasy offers specialty cocktails. Additional information can be found at Zootacular.com.

The Durham Museum is hosting “The Great HALL-oween Haunt” on October 28th. Visit the “Swanson “Ghoulery” for spooky games and crafts or explore the not-so-scary haunted Halloween train cars. UNO’s Moving Company will also perform as dancing zombies.

Tonight, October 23rd, the Durham will host Durham After Dark, a Halloween event for those 21 and over. Enjoy cocktails while hearing creepy Nebraska tales, performed by Nebraska Story Arts. Creepy objects not normally on display will also be available for viewing.

This last item is not spooky, but it’s still something you might want to check out this weekend. Gallery 1516 is hosting a book signing and conversation with artist Jim Krantz, collector Robert Duncan, gallerist James Danzinger and artist Watie White this Saturday – October 25th – from 4 to 7 p.m. at 1516 Leavenworth Street.

Did you know the Omaha Symphony reaches 225,000 people per year through more than 150 performances?

Did you know the Bob Kerrey Bridge, connecting Omaha to Council Bluffs over the Missouri River, is more than 3,000 feet long?

Did you know that cybersecurity employment in Omaha grew by 5.8 percent from 2022 to 2023?

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Crawl-O-Ween happening on October 25th: It’s all treats, no tricks at the Midtown Crossing Crawl-O-Ween on Saturday, October 25! Each participating establishment will have themed drinks and food pairings for all who dare. Costumes encouraged!

Halloween Spooktacular happening October 25th: It’s sure to be a spooktacular time with trick-or-treating, games and even a few special character appearances happening at Nebraska Furniture Mart! Visit the various stations throughout the store for all the fun! Candy, games, face painting, activities and more! Admission is free.

GO BIG RED Tailgate- Nebraska vs Northwestern happening October 25th: Join in for an unforgettable day of football, food and fun at the Husker Football Tailgate and Watch Party! They’re bringing the Memorial Stadium atmosphere back to the Granary Green! Watch the game on our massive 27-foot LED screen with booming sound and live DJ interaction.

Fall Paint Night happening October 29th: Join local artist Jennifer Young of J.Diane Creations for a relaxing evening of painting at WICK & PAPER STUDIO located in Millwork Commons. You will learn how to create a simple abstract pumpkin on 9×12 canvas. No experience is necessary to create your fall masterpiece! Includes light refreshments. Reserve your spot now!

Zootacular Presented by Veridian Credit Union happening on select dates in October: Follow moonlit pathways decorated with twinkling lights and fall décor. Stop at treat stations, watch thrilling fire and magical performances, dance under glowing lights and explore select animal habitats after dark. Food and drinks available at Plaza Café, Sea Turtle Café and seasonal pop-up bars. Admission tickets and Ghouly Iglooze reservations are open now at the Omaha Zoo website!

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Valmont Industries, Inc. announced William “Eric” Johnson joined the company as Chief Accounting Officer effective October 20. He will be a leader on the finance team overseeing the company’s accounting and SEC reporting functions and reporting directly to Tom Liguori, executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer.

Carlson & Blakeman, LLP has added Chandler Wichman as an associate attorney on the estate planning team. He received a J.D. degree from Creighton University School of Law and previously worked with the firm as a clerk during law school.

Quality Living, Inc., a rehabilitation center at 6404 North 70th Plaza, announced that Sue and Steve Seline will be the honorary chairs of its 2026 fundraising event. QLi’s “An Evening at the Fair” will take place Friday, September 18 at Baxter Arena.

In Memoriam – Marshall Faith, founder of Scoular, passed away Monday at age 96. Faith purchased a majority interest in Scoular-Bishop Grain in 1967. He would go on to grow Omaha-based Scoular into a global agribusiness, serving as CEO for 23 years and chairman for 25 years. At the time of his passing, Faith was chairman emeritus. Scoular is a top 100 U.S. privately held company. Marshall was a longtime civic leader, serving on boards of Joslyn Art Museum, United Way of the Midlands, Creighton University and others.

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LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Happiness expert Arthur Brooks used research to put together the ideal morning protocol to enhance well-being, according to CNBC. Here’s how he believes you can start your day to maximize success: 1. Wake up before dawn; 2. Engage in physical activity; 3. Get metaphysical by praying, meditating or journaling; 4. Delay caffeine intake until you’ve been up for a while; 5. Eat a high-protein breakfast; 6. When you get to your office, do high-value creative work before mundane tasks.

According to Monster.com’s 2025 Mental Health in the Workplace survey of more than 1,100 U.S. workers, 80 percent of employees now say they work in a toxic environment, up from 67 percent in 2024. Ninety-three percent say their employer isn’t doing enough to support their mental health, a sharp increase from 78 percent last year. More than half of workers (57%) say they would rather quit than stay in a toxic workplace.

A Sign of the Times – The average Kelley Blue Book price of a new vehicle in the United States reached $50,080 in September, according to Sherwood News. That’s the highest average ever, reflecting the price hikes faced by car buyers in recent years amid pandemic supply shortages, tariff-induced increases and the high cost of EV production. The figure marks a 3.6 percent jump from the same month last year.

SALES

I often talk about the benefit of time blocking for sales professionals. By dedicating time for prospecting on your calendar before the week begins, you’re more likely to actually do it. Sales author Mark Hunter has a twist on time blocking. He calls it the 2X4 principle. Break your day down into four, two-hour blocks, and choose a significant task that you’re doing in each one of those time blocks. Place the most significant task in your earliest time block.

Here are the six mistakes sales professionals tend to make when they hear the word, “no,” according to sales expert Andrea Waltz: 1. Arguing; 2. Pouting; 3. Begging; 4. Bartering; 5. Bridge burning; 6. Accepting bad yesses. When hearing “no,” salespeople should stay calm and composed, reframe the rejection as a neutral or positive outcome, and seek to understand the prospect’s concerns.

WISDOM

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality” – Warren Bennis

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Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up someplace else.”

When I learned that Trump signed an executive order to allow 401(k) participants access to private equity and cryptocurrency, my first thought was this is a dumb idea. But as I had time to ponder the change, I thought, here’s an opportunity for the 90 million people who have a 401(k) to evaluate where they are going because Trump’s executive order adds a few more destinations.

Before jumping head long into this brave new world, there are important issues that need to be addressed. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that requires employers to provide “reasonable” cost mutual funds in their company’s 401(k) plan, and failure to do so could result in a significant fine.

To date, several hundred of these cases have been settled, and companies have paid out tens of millions of dollars to their employees for excessive fees. To date, the answer has been index funds.

Next, if private equity and crypto are allowed in 401(k) plans, how are participants going to access them? Currently, the only investment options available to 401(k) participants are mutual funds and ETFs listed on the plans fund menu. Participants can only purchase these funds using one of the major exchanges as the purchasing mechanism. Crypto currencies and private equity purchases are made directly from the asset’s originator.

The financial media is loaded with articles documenting the fact that Wall Street’s marketing departments are burning the midnight oil to create mutual ETF’s that would mimic both the crypto and the private equity market. These ETFs would be expensive to create and maintain, and the costs would be passed on to the shareholders. Which brings us up against the Supreme Court’s ruling on reasonably priced funds.

There is also the issue of how closely these ETF’s derivatives would replicate the target assets’ pricing mechanism. In the case of cryptocurrency, there are 22,000 cryptocurrencies available to the general public. Crypto ETFs would be a blend of the total market. The price of the ETFs would be determined by the demand for the ETF, not the unknow blended price of the underlying asset.

In the case of private equity, the pricing issue is even more daunting. The pricing of private equity is based upon the originator’s evaluation of the fund’s holdings. They are very illiquid, so again, the pricing of a private equity ETF would be based upon the open market supply and demand of the ETF, not its underlying asset. And the possibility that it has very little connection to the underlying asset is significant.

Hopefully those who are willing to venture forth into this brave new world will begin by deciding where they want to go and purchase these new assets fully informed.

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The Grow Omaha radio show broadcasts live every Saturday morning at 9:00, but now you can watch videos of each episode instead of just listening.

Grow Omaha’s brand-new website features video footage shot inside the radio studio during each week’s show!

Videos include News of the Week, Lightning Round, guest interviews, and “Grow Omaha Uncut,” a behind-the-scenes look at what happens during commercial breaks.

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