Grow Omaha
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Mutual of Omaha’s downtown headquarters building at 14th & Farnam Street is nearing its final height of 677 feet, solidifying the tower’s presence atop the city’s skyline. The shear core is now complete to the top of the building, with steel erection around the core advancing through the upper levels of the structure.  Despite winter weather conditions, construction remains on track to be completed this fall. The building was first announced at the beginning of 2022, while the official groundbreaking took place in January of 2023. The developer is Omaha-based Lanoha Real Estate Company, and the general contractor is JE Dunn Construction. Temporary heat and enclosures have been installed throughout the tower to protect completed work and maintain quality during cold-weather operations. These measures have enabled construction crews to continue completing interior activities without interruption.  “This steady, floor-by-floor progress signals a pivotal transition from primary...

by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner "Brain drain” is loosening its grip on Nebraska, although some new Census data shows positive strides likely are more evident among freshly minted college graduates than young talent with more experience. The most recent portrait of so-called brain drain — when educated people leave the state for better employment opportunities or the social or political climate elsewhere — comes from the latest American Community Survey estimates. That information, covering 60 months through 2024, was derived from an ongoing survey separate from the broader statewide population estimates the Census Bureau made public earlier this week. Experts at the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, which acts as the official census liaison, said Friday that the latest data set shows Nebraska trending “in the right direction” when it comes to retaining educated residents with a four-year bachelor’s degree or higher. Spotlight helps turn...

Youth sports has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry nationwide, but several Nebraska sports leaders say the state lacks enough modern facilities to keep pace — limiting opportunities for athletes and reducing potential tourism and economic impact. Developers and consultants point to stalled projects tied to Nebraska’s Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act — often called the turnback tax — as a major factor slowing new facility construction. Jeff Weak, a sports facility consultant and executive director of the Wolfpack Sports Foundation, said the youth sports sector is growing rapidly and widely viewed as difficult to size precisely. “It’s the Wild, Wild West out there,” Weak said. “We’re watching states around us build, and we’re watching our kids locally need places to practice and at least learn. We need facilities in order to support local kids first.” Weak said youth sports nationally is estimated to generate tens of billions of dollars annually, though published...

Council Bluffs Community School District is planning to build a state-of-the-art charter school on the Riverfront. Last week, the Iowa State Board of Education approved the district’s plans to build a district-run charter high school with a focus on a STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – curriculum. The district is approved to start the inaugural freshmen class during the 2027-2028 school year. While there will be a STEM focus with emphasized project-based learning, students will still earn a traditional high school diploma. Specific areas of concentration will include robotics, engineering, aeronautics, artificial intelligence and medical technology, among others. Tuition will be free for students living in the district, but plans call for about 30 seats to be filled by students from Nebraska. The home districts of Nebraska students would pay students’ tuition. The district is moving forward with plans to secure land from the City of Council Bluffs inside the...

by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner While Nebraska’s overall population increased slightly to an estimated 2,018,006 in the latest Census report, the key component driving state growth in past years plummeted: immigration. Data released Tuesday reveals a 0.6% annual population bump, or about 12,500 more residents overall from July 2024 through June 2025. The information also shows the three main components of population change. Of the three, international migration was most glaring. More foreign-born newcomers still came to Nebraska than left, but the net growth of 6,599 was half the amount reported the previous year. Josie Schafer of the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the state’s liaison to the Census Bureau, attributes the reversal to federal immigration policies versus any shift in how the data is tracked. A drop in net international migration is reflected nationally as well, with the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimates showing a...

A high-rise multi-family project is moving forward in downtown Omaha. In 2024, NuStyle Development, led by Todd Heistand, announced a project in collaboration with the Omaha Children’s Museum and the City of Omaha to develop an awkward, 6-acre site on the northeast corner of 8th & Douglas Street. An Interstate 480 on-ramp that cuts through the property complicates development of the site. Despite the property's extraordinary characteristics, NuStyle planned to build a high-rise apartment building, The Omaha Children’s Museum had originally planned to build a new museum, and the city would build parking facilities to support the new development and existing nearby attractions such as the Riverfront Parks and CHI Health Center. In November 2025, the museum announced that it paused fundraising for its $100 million building at 8th & Douglas Street. At that time, it was unclear whether NuStyle would still move forward with its apartment project even though, at that point in time,...

by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska ExaminerJanuary 23, 2026 OMAHA — Nebraska officials seek to sweeten corporate tax incentives that spur job growth in the state, targeting Union Pacific Railroad in particular as it merges with another railroad giant that just five years ago opened a new headquarters in Atlanta. Gov. Jim Pillen, Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr., and the heads of the Omaha and Nebraska business chambers of commerce held a news conference in Omaha Friday touting Legislative Bill 1165, newly introduced by State Sen. Brad von Gillern on behalf of the Pillen administration. Dubbed the “Grow the Good Life Act,” the proposal modifies three existing business incentive laws. Key changes ensure that a large employer undergoing a merger or acquisition gains benefits that might encourage them to stay and grow in Nebraska, said von Gillern, chair of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee. While U.P. is not identified by name, portions of the bill appear tailor-made for the Omaha-based railroad...

The City of Council Bluffs will host the third annual Springfest at River’s Edge March 28 and 29 at Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park. This free event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days and will again feature Great American Kites with their colorful, record-breaking-size kite show. Live music, food trucks and family friendly activities will round out the weekend. Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park provides the wide-open space needed for large-scale kite displays and community events. The park’s expansive lawn and clear sightlines give spectators room to spread out and enjoy the experience, while the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge helps connect visitors on foot or bike. Springfest will take place alongside ongoing construction of the MidAmerican Adventure Tower, highlighting how the park continues to evolve and serve as an active gathering place. “This park was designed to bring people together, and Springfest fits that purpose perfectly,” said Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Director...

Plans for Dillard’s relocation to Westroads Mall remain in place, but construction on the project has not yet begun, according to the mall’s general manager. The department store plans to move from Oak View Mall into the former Younker’s building at Westroads Mall, where it will undergo a major renovation and expansion. While some equipment has previously appeared on site, Ryan Conlon, general manager at Westroads, said work has not officially started. “They’re finishing a job out of state,” Conlon said. “I think they’ll start this quarter, but we’re still standing by for an official date.” As previously reported, Dillard’s purchased the long-vacant Younker’s building on the mall’s west end and plans to gut the space, add a 32,000 sq, ft. expansion and construct a new entrance. Once complete, the two-story store will total 207,800 sq. ft. Conlon said the retailer’s arrival is expected to significantly increase traffic at the mall and the project will also dramatically reshape the...

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium officially opened the Bill and Berniece Grewcock Animal Hospital, a 32,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art facility designed “to support the depth and complexity of modern zoological medicine,” according to a press release. Located on the northeast side of the Zoo, the new hospital replaces a 30-year-old facility, and equips the Zoo’s animal health and care teams with expanded space and advanced medical technology to provide care for the zoo’s 39,000 animals, from invertebrates to large mammals. The hospital brings together core medical services under one roof, including dedicated spaces for quarantine and hospitalization, intensive care unit wards and an animal diet kitchen. A fully equipped pharmacy and in-house clinical pathology laboratory support rapid diagnostics, while two treatment rooms and a sterile surgical suite support efficient, expert care from routine exams to the most complex medical cases. A major advancement within the facility is...

NAI NP Dodge, the commercial real estate division of N.P. Dodge, produces a report on Omaha’s commercial real estate market each quarter. Below are some highlights from the fourth quarter of 2025. Office The 48.5 million sq. ft. Omaha office market ended the 4th quarter of 2025 with a vacancy rate of 7.3 percent, which was down from last quarter. Absorption over the past 12 months was -82,600 sq. ft. Rental rates were up to $25.82. Approximately 1.5 million sq. ft. of office space is under construction at this time, a little less than last quarter. Retail Approximately 65.4 million sq. ft. of retail space was considered for this report, which is based on CoStar data. At this time, 483,000 sq. ft. of retail space is under construction, which is up from last quarter. Vacancy went down to 4.3 percent. Rental rates were $18.68 per square foot. The 12-month net absorption was 197,000 sq. ft. at the end of the quarter, down from the previous period. Industrial Omaha’s industrial sector...

Creighton University’s future athletic facility will be named “The Bill” in honor of the late Bill Scott, longtime donor and friend to the university. The family of Bill and Ruth Scott has made the lead gift to build The Bill, a 50,000 sq. ft. athletics facility for Creighton’s 300-plus student-athletes. Construction of the $65 million building, formerly referred to as the Sports Performance Center, began in the summer of 2025, with an official groundbreaking in November. The facility is expected to be completed in 2027. Located at 20th & Burt Street, The Bill will be immediately west of The Ruth (The Ruth Scott Training Center), the practice space for Creighton volleyball and women’s basketball. Opened in 2019, The Ruth was named in honor of Ruth Scott, Bill Scott’s wife of 73 years before his passing in 2024. The Bill is part of “Fly Together,” a $300 million, donor-funded initiative to reshape Creighton’s 12-block athletic and recreational corridor with 11 new or upgraded...