Omaha Exploration

Updated: January 24, 2025

Union Omaha released a statement in January 2025 stating that they were no longer considering the Gallup site to build its new stadium. While it will continue to play at Werner Park this year, it is committed to a new stadium downtown.

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There’s so much going on in Omaha that it can be difficult to keep up. Among the projects I am most excited about are the Central Public Library, Mutual of Omaha tower, the trio of new parks (Adelante in South Omaha, Old Market Gardens and the one in the Builder’s District), streetcar and the new stadium for Union Omaha. If you aren’t familiar with the soccer stadium, read on….

The 7,000-seat stadium will be the centerpiece of a $300M housing and entertainment district on 18 acres of land along the riverfront. The development will take shape southeast of Abbott and Riverfront Drives next to Gallup. Its location will also position it in close proximity to CHI Health Center, Charles Schwab Field as well as the emerging Millwork Commons and Builder’s Districts.

The outdoor stadium will be home to Union Omaha, Omaha’s professional soccer club. Until this point the team has shared Werner Park in Sarpy County with the Omaha Storm Chasers. In addition to being the home to The Owls, it will also be the home to a women’s soccer team in the future as well as a youth training academy. It will host high school and college matches as well as exhibitions against Mexican teams. When it’s not in use for soccer matches, it will host concerts and other special events. The cost of the stadium alone is projected at $60M.

Beyond the stadium, the district will contain restaurants, bars, a 140-room hotel and more than 300 residences including space where the 60 athletes that play for the soccer club will live. City officials call it a boost to downtown development which has also seen recent investments in the Riverfront Parks, the Kiewit Luminarium and the Steelhouse concert venue.

An economic impact study projected the stadium alone at having a $168M impact on Omaha and $99M for the rest of the state. The surrounding development is expected to create 450 jobs and have an impact of another $200M.

If all goes as planned, it is expected that developers will break ground this fall and the stadium will open to the public in spring 2026.

Please feel free to comment to share your thoughts and memories.

Until next time, keep exploring!

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