Leo Adam Biga's My Inside Stories

 

100 cool things that have made Omaha a better place to live in

 

Old Market

North Downtown redevelopment

Riverfront revitalization

Downtown Convention Center and Arena

Improved Omaha concert scene

Omaha hosting NCAA basketball regionals and U.S. Swim Trials

Creighton basketball becoming a major thing

Omaha Lancers turning into hot ticket attraction

Omaha Mavericks hockey

Omaha becoming Kansas City Royals’ Triple A club

Henry Doorly Zoo growth

Omaha Outdoor Recreational additions

 

 

South 24th Street Business District revitalization

Razing stockyards-Big Four packinghouses and redeveloping properties

Improved fine dining, ethnic eatery and street food scene

Saving Union Station and creating Durham Museum

Omaha Botanical Center

10th Street Corridor

Saving, restoring, expanding the Orpheum Theater

Omaha hosting touring Broadway shows

 

 

Holland Performing Arts Center

Joslyn Art Museum addition

Tri-Faith Initiative

UNO expansion

Metro Community College expansion

Creighton University expansion

UNMC expansion

Midtown Crossing

 

 

Aksarben Village

Film Streams

The Slowdown

The Waiting Room

Sokol Auditorium as rock and arts space

Saddle Creek Records

Institute for the Culinary Arts

Bemis Center

 

 

Philanthropic Community

Sherwood Foundation

Omaha Community Foundation

Kiewit Foundation

Holland Foundation

Nebraska Arts Council

Nebraska Humanities

KVNO

KIOS

Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Convention

College World Series growth

 

 

UNO Center for Afghanistan Studies

Omaha Community Playhouse renovation-addition

Opera Omaha growth

Omaha Symphony growth

Omaha Children’s Museum

Great Plains Black History Museum

El Museo Latino

Omaha Theatre Company for Young People growth

Saving what’s now called The Rose Theatre

 

 

Mutual of Omaha branding

Omaha Steaks branding

Empowerment Network

Great Plains Theatre Conference

Blackstone District revival

Benson Business District revival

Blackstone District revival

Vinton Street Business District revival

Park Avenue redevelopment

Makerhood District

First National Bank Tower

Metro Fort Omaha Campus growth

Highlander Village

 

 

Native Omaha Days

La Festa Italiana

Omaha Summer Arts Festival

Omaha Farmers Market

Florence Mill

Taste of Omaha

Jazz on the Green

Memorial Park Concert

Shakespeare on the Green

Cathedral Arts Project

Cathedral Flower Festival

 

 

Omaha Fashion Week

Big Omaha

Omaha Film Festival

Blue Barn Theatre

Homer’s Music

Joslyn Castle Trust

Omaha Writers Collective

Omaha Creative Institute

Omaha Conservatory of Music

WHY? Arts

MAHA Music Festival

 

 

UNO Department of Black Studies

Blue Barn Theatre

The Kaneko

South Omaha Museum

Omaha Design Center

Omaha Community Engagement Center

The Reader

Omaha Magazine

1516 Gallery

Baxter Arena

Plus:

Alexander Payne making movies-bringing stars here

Terence Crawford fighting world championships here

Warren Buffett bringing Bill Gates, Bono and the world here

Conor Oberst putting Omaha on the music map

 

 

More cool places and things that sprang up in the same period but that are now defunct

Stone Soul Picnic

KOWH

Omaha Lit Fest

Ranch Bowl as rock venue

Riverfront Jazz and Blues Festival

Rosenblatt Stadium renovationa-expansiona

Center Stage Theatre

John Beasley Theatre

Firehouse Dinner Theatrer

New Cinema Cooperative

Kansas City-Omaha Kings