The December 11th Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

Clio, the popular Mediterranean restaurant in the Old Market, will open a second location in west Omaha. Clio will replace Blatt Beer and Table at 2835 South 170th Plaza in the Shops of Legacy. Both brands are owned by Flagship Restaurant Group. Blatt will close December 31st. Clio is expected to open in its place late spring of 2026.

Flagship Restaurant Group will close Plank Provisions in the Old Market and reopen it as Anthem, a “Tex-Asian” pub. Plank Provisions is a seafood restaurant and oyster bar at 1205 Howard Street. Its last day will be December 31st. Renovations will take several months. Anthem is expected to open in June. Anthem has one existing location in Austin, Tex., and is described as a “design-savvy eatery for Latin & Asian pub fare, plus tiki drinks & sake bombs.”

Signage is up for Kawaii Tea Time at 8900 West Center Road in the Loveland Shopping Center inside the former Coolgreens space. The New York City–based Asian fusion concept also operates a location at 14505 West Maple Road and specializes in boba tea, sushi tacos, and poke bento bowls.

Bella Vita Ristorante, which closed in 2023 at 2620 Main Street in downtown Elkhorn, will soon be transformed by the owners of Main Street Cellar. The main floor will become La Vida Nova, expected to open in May 2026, while an unnamed fine dining concept will open upstairs a few months later.

Base Kamp Coffee & Wine Shop will open soon in Regency Shopping Center at 120 Regency Parkway. Located in the mall’s center court, Base Kamp will be a kiosk-style bar, serving craft beverages including coffee and wine. It will be located between Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, J.Crew and Borsheim’s. Construction is expected to begin after Santa Claus vacates following the holiday shopping season.

Signage is in place for Shiki Sushi at 4900 Dodge Street in the former Varsity Sports Café space near 50th & Dodge in Dundee. Additional details about the new concept have yet to be announced.

Alibi Room plans to open in the former VIP Lounge building at 9001 Arbor Street northwest of 90th & West Center Road. The future cocktail lounge is under consideration for a liquor license. No opening date has been announced. The VIP Lounge moved to 8585 Frederick Street back in August.

J. Gorat’s Deli & Market has opened at 1220 South 203rd Street in the former Burger Detour building southeast of 204th & Pacific Street. The locally owned concept focuses on scratch-made food using both local and imported ingredients. The business also features products from Wahoo Locker, Fariner Bakery, Betty Rae’s Ice Cream along with wine, beer and spirits.

Hyper Energy Bar will open its first Omaha location this Friday – December 12th – southwest of 180th & West Maple Road. The grand-opening celebration will take place from 12 noon to 7 p.m. Hyper Energy is a drive-thru beverage chain from Des Moines, Iowa. Other locations are planned at 180th & Burke Street and 204th & Harrison Street.

Benson Grocery plans to open soon in a retail strip at 5420 Northwest Radial Highway in the Benson neighborhood. The business is currently working on its liquor license and getting the interior ready. No opening date has been announced. The space was previously occupied by Hosiery Plus.

TakeRoot Farm Stop opened this past weekend at 5018 Underwood Avenue next to Jaipur Indian Restaurant in Dundee. The business is a year-round, indoor farmers market. Take Root is a “community food market selling 100% local products, all on a consignment model that ensures our farmers, producers, and makers keep 70% of every sale.” The farm stop is open seven days a week and stocks products from 34 local producers.

The Rush Market apparently plans to open in a former Fresh Thyme grocery space at 14949 Evans Plaza along the West Maple Road corridor, according to a building permit. Rush Market had been operating in the former Sears and Younkers stores at Oakview Mall. Fresh Thyme closed the store in late 2020. People were working inside 30,000 sq. ft. space today, but no signage has been installed, No opening date has been announced. Rush Market is a furniture and home goods retailer known for selling overstocked, open-box and returned items at deep discounts.

Heartwood Nail Spa opened November 19 at 248 North 144th Street, Suite 105, next to Little King Deli. The business operates in a retail strip that is part of Heartwood Preserve, a 500-acre development southwest of 144th & West Dodge Road. Heartwood Nail Spa offers classic manicures, pedicures and other spa treatments.

Laos Thai Restaurant at 4520 South 24th Street will close on December 31. In a Facebook post, the locally owned restaurant cited family commitments, financial challenges and time limitations as its reasoning. The business has been serving Asian cuisine for more than two decades.

Learn more about Anderson Convenience market at www.Anderson1952.com

Omaha City Council Hears Public Comments for Union Pacific Railroad and Union Omaha

By Isaiah Ang

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.

At the same meeting, the council heard brief comments regarding the sale of the old Union Pacific headquarters site at 1416 Dodge Street back to Union Pacific.

Under the purchase agreement, the city would sell the property to the railroad for $7.3 million. While details regarding what Union Pacific intends to do with the land are not confirmed, both the city and council member Pete Festersen alluded to Union Pacific planning to use it in connection to its planned merger with Norfolk Southern. Union Pacific previously announced that the combined headquarters would be in Omaha.

Norfolk Southern currently employs 3,500 office and administrative staff at its headquarters building in Atlanta. Norfolk Southern leases its building from Invest Atlanta, an economic development agency. The lease began when Norfolk Southern began occupation in 2021. Norfolk Southern has an option to terminate or renew the lease after five years.

While plans regarding what will happen to Norfolk Southern headquarters employees are currently unknown, based on comments by the city, there appears to be potential for some of the Atlanta jobs to move to Omaha.

This section is sponsored by NAI NP Dodge, the commercial real estate division of NP Dodge, Omaha’s largest full-service real estate company. Founded in 1855, NP Dodge is the longest running real estate firm in America.

Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

The City of Omaha is creating a program to incentivize the construction of upscale hotels known as the Hotel Occupation Tax Reinvestment Program. It would allow developers to use all or a portion of the transient rental guest tax revenue to reimburse eligible development costs, including acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, utility extensions and parking. Per the Omaha Municipal Code, the transient rental guest tax totals 5.5 percent of the gross charge for hotel occupancy.

A qualifying hotel project must meet several parameters. Foremost, the hotel must be new to market and an upper-upscale hotel. “Upper-upscale” is defined as a Four Diamond rating or better under the AAA hotel rating scale. The hotel must be located within half a mile of a city-owned cultural or entertainment facility, including museums, sports facilities, conventions center or other publicly owned assets that directly impact local tourism. Additionally, such a hotel project must provide a substantial benefit to a city-owned tourism attraction through redevelopment, activation or improvements of said attraction.

For reference, in the 2025 AAA list of Four Diamond hotels, Nebraska has only two, both in Omaha: the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel in the Blackstone District and The Farnam Autograph Collection at 14th & Farnam Street downtown.

The Atlas Apartment building just west of Creighton University will be getting another commercial user on the ground floor. According to a building permit, HOTWORX, is leasing 2,400 sq. ft. HOTWORX is an international yoga studio chain with more than 800 locations worldwide, including three existing ones in the Omaha Metro. The Atlas was formerly St. Joseph Hospital before NuStyle Development transformed it into a 732-unit apartment complex.

Drury Hotels purchased another developable lot in Downtown Omaha adjacent to the lot the company already owns. Last year, Drury purchased the parking lot at 322 South 10th Street on the northwest corner of 10th & Harney Street from an entity affiliated with Embassy Suites. The purchase came with several restrictions including limitations of 252 hotel rooms, 4,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and an opening date no sooner than 2029. Embassy Suites operates a hotel one block to the south.

At the end of last month, Drury closed on a $5.8 million purchase of 1.4-acre, grassy site at the southeast corner of 10th & Harney Street. Purchased from Conagra Brands, this site has no recorded restrictions similar to the property across the intersection. The deed does include a restriction that no hotel under the upper midscale as defined by the STR Chain Scale can be operated there for at least 20 years. That restriction specifically does not exclude a Drury branded hotel. Drury has not announced when it will build on the site nor what it plans to do with its first Omaha site.

Drury Hotels is currently constructing a hotel in downtown Lincoln. That development consists of an 8-story, 252 room building with an adjacent surface parking lot. Based in St. Louis, Drury Hotels operates more than 150 hotels in 26 states.

Construction on the streetcar system so far has been limited to utility and prep work. That will change in January as work begins on actual steel tracks. The total track construction across the 3.3-mile route won’t be fully complete until 2027. Crews will install track in 2,000-foot sections, a few blocks at a time. In order to accommodate streetcar construction, the Farnam Street bridge over Interstate 480 will be demolished and rebuilt starting in January.

The Omaha City Council approved authorized the city to purchase the parking garage structure being built on the former Parkfair Mall site downtown. This site is just west of the former Central Park Plaza twin towers. The Parkfair Mall building was razed earlier this year to make way for a 461-stall parking garage. The ground floor will have 12,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Apartment units will be built on top of the garage. Together with the Central Park Plaza towers, the parking garage and apartment building compose the totality of NuStyle Development’s project named the Duo.

The City will purchase the land from NuStyle for $5.2 million and the parking structure, once completed, for no more than $34.9 million. Relatedly, the city approved an amendment to the redevelopment for The Duo project to allow for three phases: the conversion of the north and south towers and construction of the parking garage and apartment building on the Parkfair Mall site, respectively, in that order. Once completed, the Duo will bring more than 700 apartment units to the downtown market. The south tower is already completed, and the apartments fully leased.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center will open its ice rink for the season this Friday at 11 a.m. UNMC’s skating season runs through Sunday, February 22. Admission for the public is $5, which includes skates. Cash or credit card only — no checks or debit cards.

Eric Miller, streetcar operations manager, for the City of Omaha, writes a regular transportation column for Grow Omaha. His latest article explains how streetcars operate during severe winter weather. Read it HERE.

Grow Omaha Snippets are brought to you by Baird Holm LLP, the Exclusive Legal Partner of Grow Omaha. Baird Holm’s dedicated team of real estate lawyers has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate law, including purchases, sales, construction, zoning and land use, leasing, and dispute resolution. Click HERE for more information.

Frontier Airlines will offer nonstop flights between Omaha’s Eppley Airfield and Phoenix Skyharbor International Airport starting March 25th. The seasonal nonstops will operate three times per week. Frontier will be the third airline to offer direct flights between Omaha and Phoenix. American and Southwest airlines offer daily, year-round service. Allegiant Airlines offers nonstops between Omaha and the nearby Mesa Gateway Airport. Frontier already offers direct flights between Omaha and Atlanta, Denver and Orlando.

Senior Market Sales, a local insurance broker company, is relocating its headquarters. The company has been a longtime fixture with prominent signage at 8420 West Dodge Road. According to a building permit for renovation of existing space, Senior Market Sales will be moving just around the corner to 8801 Indian Hills Drive, the campus of Lincoln Financial Group’s Omaha office.

Maplewood Lanes plans to open its “Level Up Arcade” Friday, December 12 inside its bowling facility at 3030 North 101st Street. The arcade features video games, interactive redemption attractions, crane machines and prize games designed for guests of all ages. The arcade will be open daily during the bowling alley’s regular hours.

Greysteel, a Bethesda, Maryland-based commercial real estate investment sales and capital markets services firm, announced it is opening an office in Omaha. The office leader is David J. Carrig, who founded BARON Commercial Real Estate.

The Greater Omaha Chamber has launched its redesigned website. After nearly a year of development, the site was built from the ground up and has updated features including dynamic economic data, tools to help you stay engaged in public policy, properties available for site selection purposes, a talent recruitment portal and a redesigned portal for members. You can explore the site HERE.

Grow Omaha Business News is brought to you by Thompson, Dreessen & Dorner, Inc. (TD2). Since 1967, TD2 has partnered with municipalities, developers, architects and builders to shape the places where people live, work and connect. TD2 provides comprehensive services in civil, structural and geotechnical engineering as well as land surveying, materials testing and construction observation — all with a focus on client service and community impact. Discover how TD2 is engineering Omaha’s future HERE.

The Omaha Community Foundation awarded $467,918 in Fund for Omaha grants to 24 local nonprofits focused on broadening essential services, fostering economic stability and enhancing overall well-being. The demand for flexible grant funding remains high. This year, the Foundation received more than $2.9 million in requests across 136 applications. These grants address community priorities such as economic opportunity, maternal health and birth outcomes, housing and neighborhoods and mental and behavioral health. Applicants can request up to $25,000 for general operating support.

Since its inception 36 years ago, the Fund for Omaha has granted more than $10 million to local nonprofits, making it the largest grant program funded by the Foundation in partnership with local philanthropists.

Habitat for Humanity Omaha recently completed phase one of Bluestem Prairie, the largest development in the organization’s 40-year history. Located near 51st & Sorensen Parkway, the project invested $29 million into more than 80 homes. Phase two of the project will include 64 more homes.

The North Omaha Visitor Center, a nonprofit whose mission is to celebrate North Omaha’s history, culture and economic growth, officially opened its location at the intersection of 24th & Burdette Streets last Friday. The space features a coffee shop, gift shop and presentation gallery. It will host events as well as provide tours of North Omaha.

Autism Action Partnership this week announced its newest COMPASS Partner, Tiny Trims. The organization is AAP’s first small business to become a COMPASS Partner. This designation is awarded to organizations that embrace the idea of inclusion so that individuals with autism and their families feel a sense of belonging and can thrive in all the places they live, work, learn and play.

Tiny Trims, owned by Claudia Delgado Aguero, is designed to accommodate the sensory needs of individuals, particularly children, who may experience discomfort or anxiety during a haircut. Tiny Trims is located inside Sensory Suite Spot at 14216 Pierce Plaza in Omaha.

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The Right Price Matters More Now Than Ever

By Jill Anderson

With more homes to choose from, today’s buyers are quick to skip over homes that feel overpriced. That’s why pricing your house right is the secret to selling quickly and for top dollar.

Miss the mark, though, and you may have to backtrack. Today, about one in five sellers (20.2%) are reducing their asking price to attract buyers. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com, says:

“The rising share of price reductions suggests that a lot of sellers are anchored to prices that aren’t realistic in today’s housing market. Today’s sellers would be wise to listen to feedback they are getting from the market.”

Predictions for 2026

More Homes Will Sell
With all of the affordability challenges at play over the past few years, many would-be movers pressed pause. But that pause button isn’t going to last forever. There are always people who need to move.

Mortgage Rates Could Continue to Ease
The number-one thing just about everyone has been looking for is lower mortgage rates. And after peaking around 7 percent in early 2025, rates have been trending down overall. The latest forecasts show this trend could continue throughout 2026, but experts aren’t expecting a big change.

More homeowners are deciding it’s worth moving even if it means giving up a lower mortgage rate. Life doesn’t stand still—people get new jobs, grow their families, downsize after retirement or simply want to live in a different neighborhood.

Those needs are starting to outweigh the financial benefit of clinging to a rock-bottom mortgage rate. (Chen Zhao)

Will you be one of the movers making 2026 your year? Let’s connect if you want to get ready.

Grow Omaha Residential is developed and sponsored by Jill Anderson, President Residential Sales, NP Dodge Real Estate 402.255.5099 or jill.anderson@npdodge.com.

We’re not just real estate. We’re NP Dodge.

Cole Young, Contributing Writer

The Omaha Athletics Training Facility will be constructed east of Baxter Arena and connected by an elevated skywalk. It will provide a headquarters for Omaha Athletics, featuring practice courts, a 1,300-seat competition court, locker rooms, lounges, academic and life-skills spaces and integrated strength and conditioning, sports science, nutrition and mental health zones.

Project Two will provide Omaha baseball and softball with their own clubhouse, featuring locker rooms, team lounges, meeting spaces, coaches’ offices, pitching and batting cages, sports science and an athletic training and sports medicine area.

Once completed, the Omaha baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball and hockey programs will have dedicated facilities on campus. The baseball and softball clubhouse is scheduled to begin construction in 2026 with occupancy expected by 2027. Omaha Athletics’ Training Facility is scheduled for construction beginning in 2026 with expected occupancy by 2028.

Creighton Volleyball (27-5) faces Arizona State (28-3) today 12 noon at the Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky., in the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal. The Bluejays survived a scare in the first round, defeating Northern Colorado 3-2 before taking down Northern Iowa 3-1 in the second round. Thursday’s winners will meet the winner of Kentucky vs. Cal Poly on Saturday, with time and broadcast plans to be announced later. Thursday’s match will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Creighton men’s basketball lost to Nebraska on Sunday 71-50, shooting a season-low 30.8 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from three-point range. Nebraska owns the nation’s longest-active win streak with 13 straight wins dating back to last year. Creighton returns home this Saturday, December 13, to host Kansas State at 2 p.m. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on FOX.

Creighton women’s basketball is on a three-game winning streak after picking up its first Big East conference win against St. John’s last Thursday and a 73-60 victory over Tulsa over the weekend. Freshman Ava Zediker was named Big East Freshman of the Week by the conference on Monday after dropping a career-high 26 points against Tulsa. Twenty-one of those points came in the first half. Creighton will host Kansas State this Sunday, December 14, at 2:30 p.m.

Three Creighton volleyball seniors earned All-Region honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Tuesday. Annalea Maeder, Kiara Reinhardt and Ava Martin earned honors in the West Region that includes 18 teams from Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. This is the 11th straight year that two or more Bluejays have earned AVCA First Team All-Region honors, tying Creighton with Pittsburgh for the sixth-longest active streak in the nation. All-America honors will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Omaha women’s basketball fell to No. 24 Nebraska on Tuesday night, taking a thumping in the in-state rivalry match, 87-35. The Mavericks head to Western Illinois on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tipoff and then will return home to host another rivalry match against Creighton. That game will be held at Baxter Arena on Wednesday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m.

Creighton men’s soccer had three players earn All-Region honors from the United Soccer Coaches Association on Tuesday. Matthew Reed was named to the All-East First Team, Miguel Arilla was named to the second team, and Omar Ramadan earned a spot on the region’s third team. Reed and Arilla will each return to the Bluejays for their senior season in 2026.

Omaha Hockey will travel to Grand Forks, N.D., this weekend to face No. 4 North Dakota in a weekend series. Omaha was last on the ice November 29 at Yale, when it split a weekend series 1-1 in its only two games this season against unranked opponents. The Mavericks will play at 7:07 p.m. on Friday and 6:07 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will be broadcast locally on 1290 KOIL.

Upcoming Games

• #11 Creighton volleyball vs. Arizona State | Thursday, Dec. 11 | 12 p.m.
• Omaha Lancers at Youngstown | Friday, Dec. 12 | 6:05 p.m.
• Omaha Hockey at #4 North Dakota | Friday, Dec. 12 | 7:07 p.m.
• Omaha women’s basketball at Western Illinois | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 1 p.m.
• Creighton men’s basketball vs. Kansas State | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 2 p.m.
• Omaha Lancers at Youngstown | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 5:05 p.m.
• Omaha Hockey at #4 North Dakota | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 6:07 p.m.
• Creighton women’s basketball vs. Kansas State | Sunday, Dec. 14 | 2:30 p.m.
• Omaha men’s basketball vs. York | Tuesday, Dec. 16 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton men’s basketball at Xavier | Wednesday, Dec. 13 | 5:30 p.m.
• Creighton women’s basketball vs. Omaha | Wednesday, Dec. 17 | 6:30 p.m.

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Dundee’s Dodge Street Subway

By Patrick Wyman

Omaha doesn’t have an underground rail system, but it does have a subway. The Dodge Street Subway in Dundee—built in 1934 by the Public Works Administration—remains the city’s only pedestrian underpass and was the second tunnel constructed beneath what was once a bustling stretch of the Lincoln Highway.

In the early 20th century, Dodge Street west of downtown was unpaved, so crossing the country road wasn’t nearly as risky as it became once the city began expanding westward. As traffic increased along the highway, Dodge grew busier year after year, a trend that accelerated after the city completed its ambitious project to flatten the steep grade west of downtown in 1920.

Paving and regrading made Dodge less of an obstacle for travelers heading to or from downtown, helping it become the preferred route to the city’s western neighborhoods. Although the Lincoln Highway was eventually rerouted, traffic on Dodge continued to increase. To keep up with demand, the city planned to expand Dodge to five lanes as part of a federal highway project. The plan included two pedestrian subways designed to help children safely cross what had become a major thoroughfare.

To minimize disruptions, the city set an ambitious completion target of July 31, 1934, allowing the street to reopen section by section as crews finished their work. More than 2,000 people worked on the project in four around-the-clock shifts.

While the subway used by children attending Yates School was installed near 33rd Street, the one serving Dundee School was located a mile and a half west at 51st Street. Each entrance used original Dodge Street curbing and featured ramps that sloped downward into the tunnel. Both subways were popular with students and proved effective at helping those who lived south of Dodge reach the other side safely. Even so, they quickly raised safety concerns due to their steep ramps and smooth concrete surfaces which led to frequent scraped knees and bruised faces, especially among those on bicycles or roller skates.

Bicycles were eventually banned, and skaters were encouraged to remove their skates before entering.

In the years that followed, the city built additional subways at 22nd and Dodge; 39th and Cuming; and 52nd and Northwest Radial. The subways, however, eventually fell out of favor as they developed reputations for being dark, scary, and unsafe, offering little visibility once someone entered. As a result, the city shifted toward building overpasses, and all but one of the pedestrian subways were filled in.

By 2015, the remaining Dodge Street Subway was showing its age and badly needed repairs. Poor lighting made it an easy target for graffiti and other mischief, and clogged drains led to frequent standing water. Exposed rebar, uncovered during a sidewalk repair, added to its worn and uninviting appearance.

Later that year, a fundraising campaign helped address these issues with mortar and concrete repairs, new LED lighting, security cameras, and a skid-proof surface. Additional improvements included new signage and murals depicting five window-like views of Dundee landmarks.

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010, the Dodge Street Subway remains open today. It continues to serve not only Dundee students but also pedestrians who use it to safely cross Dodge on their way to eat, shop, grab a drink or enjoy some exercise.

The Omaha Symphony Orchestra will present Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen in Concert with composer Christope Beck’s GRAMMY-nominated score performed live alongside the film. The concerts will be led by conductor Ernest Richardson on December 20 at the Holland Center at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The film’s platinum soundtrack is well-known among families for the last decade, so now’s a great chance to experience the film and its songs live. Tickets are on sale now.

The Holland Center will celebrate Omaha’s favorite end-of-the-year tradition with six performances of The Physicians Mutual Omaha Symphony Christmas Celebration December 11 through 14. This year’s performances will feature a mix of modern hit songs, classic holiday favorites and fun arrangements. Audiences are invited to participate in a variety of pre-concert activities such as a hot chocolate bar, craft station and festive photo opportunities inside the lobby of the Holland Performing Arts Center.

Cali Commons is excited to announce their next Art Show: PRESENT, located at 518 North 40th Street. “Step into a space where time softens and awareness deepens. PRESENT invites you to pause, breathe and simply be.” This show celebrates the quiet power of presence—the gentle art of showing up fully, calmly and without rush. Opening reception is December 12th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., then additional showings are on December 13th and 14th from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free, with parking available east of 40th & California Street. Further details can be found at www.calicommons.com.

The Orpheum Theater will present RAIN – A Beatles Christmas Tribute on December 15th at 7:30 p.m. Bringing holiday favorites alongside memorable Beatles’ hits, RAIN – A Beatles Christmas Tribute promises a nostalgic evening of love, joy and timeless music. If you love the Beatles, or even just enjoy the holiday season, you will surely enjoy the blend of unforgettable songs this December. Performing since 1975, RAIN has mastered the Beatles’ songs with note for note precision.

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Women say they are less interested in advancing at work, according to a Forbes article by Kim Elsasser. A recent survey of more than 9,500 professionals from 124 companies showed that women are now less likely than men to express interest in promotion, especially in entry-level roles, where 80 percent of men said they wanted to advance, but only 69 percent of women did. This year’s survey results showed the biggest gender gap in ambition.

It seems like everyone is coming out with their official word of 2025. Glassdoor, the human resources company, announced its word of the year is “fatigue.” The word saw a 41 percent year-over-year increase in mentions across Glassdoor’s online platform.

A Fed cut as an economic jolt? The Federal Reserve open market committee lowered its key overnight borrowing rate by a quarter percentage point yesterday, putting it in a range between 3.5 and 3.75 percent, according to CNBC.

Feeling left behind? – The world now has 2,919 billionaires, according to UBS research reported by CNN. Billionaires’ combined wealth reached $15.8 trillion, an increase of 13 percent over 12 months, lifted by existing tech billionaires’ appreciating assets and by newly minted billionaires across a range of sectors

SALES

Companies with dynamic sales coaching programs achieve 28 percent higher win rates, according to The Center for Sales Strategy.

A strong LinkedIn prospecting sequence is built around subtle, intentional touches, says best-selling sales author Jeb Blount. Visiting a prospect’s LinkedIn profile is the simplest yet most powerful signal you can send. It shows you’ve done your homework without spamming them. Here are some thoughts on LI profile visits:

• Keep it Quick: It’s not a research deep dive. Take 30–60 seconds to scan their headline, recent activity and relevant posts.
• Why It Works: The LinkedIn algorithm notifies them of a profile view. Even if they don’t click back, your name shows up. That familiarity lowers the wall when you call.
• How to Use It in Your Cadence: Make profile visits one of your first touches. You don’t need to leave a note; the visit itself does the work.

WISDOM

“A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.” – Louis Pasteur

Building Omaha is a partnership between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) & the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). Together, we provide the highest level of trained electricians for residential, low-voltage, or commercial construction projects. Visit buildingomaha.org to learn more. Earn while you learn and apply for our Apprenticeship Program by clicking HERE!

Did you know Sarpy County hosts facilities for some of the biggest names in corporate America including Facebook, Google, Yahoo and Amazon?

Did you know Nebraska is a top-5 state when it comes to electricity reliability and affordability?

Did you know the future Bellevue Bay Indoor Waterpark will have Mattel-branded attractions inside? Mattel brands include Barbie, Hot Wheels and many others. When it’s completed in 2027, it will be the fourth largest indoor waterpark in America.

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CreativeMornings Omaha – Innovation – featuring Jewel Rodgers happening December 12th: Creativity Called—It Says You Belong Here. CreativeMornings Omaha is your monthly jolt of creative connection—caffeine optional, inspiration guaranteed. Whether you’re a designer, developer, dancer, doodler or just creatively curious, there’s a spot here with your name on it. Expect coffee, breakfast, local art and a dose of inspiration.

Silent Book Club: Ugly Sweater Edition happening December 16th: Where the reading is silent…but the sweaters are loud. Join in for a low-key, high-comfort night at Bushwackers at The Granary. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and our quiet reading hour begins at 6:30 p.m. Bring whatever book you’re into right now and settle in. Food and beverages available, plenty of space to spread out and zero pressure to discuss anything unless you want to. Ugly sweaters encouraged; friends highly recommended. The more, the merrier.

Puzzlepalooza – Christmas Edition happening December 17th: Grab your puzzle-enthusiast friends and join us for another round of Puzzlepalooza! Teams of four will compete to finish a 300-piece National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation puzzle while enjoying food and drinks. Ugly sweaters are encouraged!

Santa’s Magic happening weekly through December 23rd: This highly anticipated show blends the excitement of a live performance with theatrical effects, but the true highlight is the special time spent with none other than the jolly old man himself – Santa Claus. The show’s finale offers an opportunity for families to meet Santa, have their pictures taken, and with a sprinkle of magic, watch as Santa makes it snow inside the museum! Throughout Santa’s Magic, the message of inclusivity and positivity shines brightly, accompanied by just the right touch of silliness and enchantment, making it the perfect tradition for your family’s holiday season. Shows are ticketed to ensure each family has time to interact with Santa. Tickets are free for museum guests.

Bright Nights happening on select dates through January 4th: Celebrate the holiday season at Bright Nights at Lauritzen Gardens. where twinkling lights and dazzling decor transform the garden into a winter wonderland. Make memories with the family as you cozy up by the firepits, roast some s’mores, play festive games in the Family Chill Zone, capture the moment in front of the 20′ tall poinsettia tree, enjoy the whistle of model garden trains and marvel at the shimmering displays showcase nature in a whole new light.

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Scooter’s Coffee has announced an expanded leadership role for Mikala Friedrich as Chief Human Resources & Systems Officer. In this new capacity, she will oversee Human Resources, Information Technology, Internal Communications and Operations Training. Friedrich has been with Scooter’s for seven years. Prior to that, she worked for Lindsey Corporation, Kiewit Corporation, and Target Corporation.

WoodmenLife has appointed Staci Jackson as director of customer service. She joined WoodmenLife in August 2024 as manager of customer service and will now oversee daily operations and staff, develop and implement customer service policies and procedures, and ensure customer satisfaction measures are executed.

Gross Welch Marks Clare law firm has added Timothy J. Buckley as a director and Jennifer L. McRae as an associate. Buckley has a law degree from Creighton University and has experience in estate planning, probate, trust administration and appeals as well as civil litigation and municipal law. McRae earned her law degree from Baylor University and is joining the firm’s estate planning division.

The Greater Omaha Chamber is a catalyst and connector, advocating for businesses small and large. Learn, share and grow with more than 12,000 professionals from 3,000 member businesses across Greater Omaha. Click HERE to see our latest events.

It’s déjà vu all over again. Last week I made some incredibly insightful and pithy comments about one of my bugaboos, 401(k) target date funds. And just to prove that great minds think alike, Jason Zweig in his Wall Street Journal column made denigrating comments about the way Wall Street is rejiggering them.

To quote Zweig, “Leave it up to Wall Street to take a simple, elegant idea and junk it up with fees, complexity and opacity.”

Target date funds are mutual funds that invest in a manner that supposedly compliments the shareholder’s age. Their premise is that when you’re young, you seek to maximize growth and can afford to take some risk in the process. But as you grow older, you need to reduce your risk exposure and move towards income-producing holdings.

Currently about 45 percent of all 401(k) participants have one or more target date funds in their portfolio. And surprise, surprise – they are the most expensive of all the alternatives available in most 401(k) plan menus.

According to Morningstar, the average target date management fee is 125 basis points, but some go as high as 215 basis points. Currently, there are $4 trillion worth of target date funds held in 401(k) plans. Based upon this scenario, this generates $60 billion in revenue for Wall Street. Compare this to $7 trillion in passive index funds, which produces $1.3 billion in revenue to Wall Street.

The 800-pound gorilla in the 401(k) room is the conundrum created by a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that requires employers to include some “reasonably priced” mutual funds in their 401(k)-investment menu. The ruling did not, however, define what constitutes a reasonably priced fund.

Several weeks ago, President Trump directed the Department of Labor to allow cryptocurrency and private equity to be included in 401(k) plan menus. And then before you can say Holy Crap Batman, Wall Street started offering something called Collective Investment Trusts, or CITs. Unlike mutual funds, they aren’t sold directly to the general public. They are only available through retirement funds. And CITs are overseen by bank regulators, not the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, they require less disclosure and opacity.

The new CIT target date funds are no longer the simple bundle of underlying funds they once were. Crack open one, and you’ll find growth and value stocks, midsize companies and small stocks, in addition to a jumble of illiquid assets such as private equity and cryptocurrency.

The resulting jumbo, however, is unlikely to outperform a simple cheaper autopilot portfolio, consisting of one or two index funds. And surprise, surprise 2.0 – Because of their minimum disclosure requirements, even Euclid will have difficulty determining exactly how much they cost.

As of this writing, the fat lady has yet to clear her throat. According to Zweig, “The target of target-date funds is you. This does not mean you should avoid these funds altogether, but what was meant to be the ultimate hands-off investment just got a lot more hands on.”

I will be providing updates on my podcast, Wall Street for Dummies, as they become available.

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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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