Omaha is undergoing a bit of a hotel boom, with a dozen new hotel properties under construction or in the pipeline, including the new $27 million Hyatt Place which opened in Omaha’s Old Market entertainment district. Also in the works is a new 330-room convention hotel, which will be built across from CenturyLink Center Omaha, the city’s 250,000-square-foot convention center.
Hilton Omaha completed a $35 million expansion and renovation project and now offers 600 rooms, a 7,000-square-foot ballroom, and completely renovated meeting rooms.
The Doubletree Hotel Downtown completed a $20 million renovation and formed a “green team” to develop innovative and environmentally friendly features. The hotel now offers a bicycle checkout station in its lobby so visitors can save on fuel and pedal to nearby restaurants and shops.
Omaha’s riverfront is also changing with the addition of the Storz Trophy Room. The historic Omaha brewery revived its brand, opening a restaurant with plans to add a micro brewery at the same location. The new entertainment venue sits right along Omaha’s riverfront and within a block of the convention center, creating another great place for visitors and convention delegates to enjoy.
This all points to a city on the move, which is good news. One cautionary note: Omaha has experienced a 42 percent growth in the number of hotel rooms over the last 10 years. Demand over that same period has grown 25 percent. While demand—the number of people visiting the city—is growing at a healthy pace, the supply of new hotel rooms is growing even faster. As we look to the future, creating new ways to attract even more visitors to Omaha and filling these new hotel rooms will be an important factor in our city’s success as a destination.
Questions or comments? E-mail us at info@visitomaha.com.
Dana Markel, Executive Director
Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau