Visit Omaha

Omaha is an urban oasis on the plains conveniently located in the heart of the country.

More than $8 billion in new development is reshaping Omaha and the convention attendee experience. The newly opened The RiverFront is a 72-acre revitalized space downtown with performance pavilions, interactive water features, and the Kiewit Luminarium STEM discovery center. Beginning in 2027, a state-of-the-art streetcar system will connect midtown and downtown Omaha.

Omaha’s airport (OMA) offers nonstop service to 30+ destinations and is only 4 miles from the downtown convention district. The airport will double in size by 2028 after a near $1 billion expansion project.

In the heart of Omaha’s convention district is CHI Health Center Omaha, which has 346,000 square feet of convention space and connects via skywalk to the 600-room Hilton Omaha. Within one mile are 3,500+ hotel rooms. Also close by are entertainment districts including The Capitol District, Old Market Entertainment District, and Millwork Commons/North Downtown (NoDo), where visitors discover culinary delights, boutique shopping and various nightlife options.

Must-see attractions include the world-renowned Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, selected by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards as the nation’s “Best Zoo.” Also, The Durham Museum, an Art Deco former train station and National Historic Landmark, and Joslyn Art Museum, reopening in September 2024 after receiving an architecturally stunning 42,000-square-foot addition.

Discover a fresh, new destination that’s consistently ranked a “best value” city known for offering accessibility, affordability, and fun – with a dose of Midwestern hospitality.

TAXES

  • How much is the total cumulative hotel tax? 18.16%
  • How much is the F&B tax? 9.5%
  • How much is the average F&B gratuity? 15-18%

AIRPORT

  • How many miles from the airport to downtown? 4 miles
  • Is there public transportation, such as a bus or subway available?- Rental cars, taxis, limos, ride share and shuttle bus services are available at the airport. Most downtown Omaha hotels offer complimentary direct transportation to and from the airport.
  • How much does the public transportation cost?
    • Omaha Metro Bus Transit fares range from free to $2.50 depending on fare type and number of passes. Other transportation costs are highly affordable and vary depending on transportation type, distance, etc..
  • What is the shuttle bus fare from the airport to downtown?
    • Complimentary
  • What is the taxi fare from airport to downtown?
    • $15-$20 (inclusive of tip)
  • How many daily flights into the airport?
    • 150 flights
  • How many daily flights out of airport? 150 flights
  • Is the airport a hub for any carrier? No
  • What are the major carriers serving airport? Southwest, American, Delta, United, Frontier, Alaska, and Allegiant

HOTELS

  • How many committable hotel rooms downtown on peak night? 3,500+
  • How many committable hotel rooms downtown on peak within walking distance to convention center? Omaha features more than 3,500 downtown hotel rooms, all within walking distance of the city’s convention district, restaurants, bars, art galleries, shopping, and several entertainment hot spots.
  • How many headquarter hotel properties? 1
  • How many rooms available on peak night at the largest headquarter property Hilton Omaha – 600 rooms

CONVENTION CENTER

  • How many total gross square feet of exhibit space at Convention Center? 194,000 sq. ft.
  • How much of this exhibit space is contiguous? 194,000 sq. ft.
  • How many total gross square feet of meeting space is available at the Convention center? 63,000 sq. ft. with an additional 79,400 sq. ft. of pre-function space
  • How many meeting rooms does the convention center have? 16 meeting rooms with an additional 16 meeting rooms available via a quick skywalk away at Hilton Omaha.
  • How big is the largest meeting room? 5,184 sq. ft.
  • How many ballrooms does the convention center have?
  • How big is the largest ballroom? 30,996 sq. ft.
  • When was the last renovation or expansion? N/A
  • When is a future renovation/expansion scheduled? Future expansion is planned to be completed in 2027.
  • Is there free Wi-Fi at the convention center? Yes, Wi-Fi is incorporated throughout the entire building, including the exhibit halls, meeting rooms, all public spaces, and outdoor events.
  • Is there an exclusive in-house Electrical provider? Yes
  • Is there an exclusive in-house AV provider? INSPIRE is the in-house AV provider but it is not exclusive besides rigging.
  • Is there an exclusive in-house decorator? No
  • Is there an exclusive in house caterer? Yes, Levy Restaurants
  • Is the convention center a union property? No
  • If union property, can you provide estimated pricing list? N/A
  • Here are a list of labor unions with whom planners will be required to work at the convention center: N/A

OFF SITE VENUES

  • How many off site venues within walking distance can host up to 2,000 people? Kiewit Luminarium/The Riverfront, Capitol District, The Steelhouse, Holland Performing Arts Center, Orpheum Theater
  • How many off-site venues within a ten-minute bus transfer can host up to 2,000 people? Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (recently ranked the #1 zoo in the country), The Durham Museum, Kiewit Luminarium/The Riverfront, Joslyn Art Museum (completing an expansion in 2024), Holland Performing Arts Center, The Steelhouse, Capitol District, Orpheum Theater
  • How many restaurants are within walking distance of the convention center? Over 100+ restaurants
  • Can you list 3-5 local attractions and their whereabouts?
  1. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium –8 minutes from the CHI Health Convention Center at 3701 S. 10th Street, Omaha, NE 68107
  2. The Durham Museum –5 minutes from the CHI Health Convention Center at 801 S. 10th Street, Omaha, NE 68108
  3. Old Market Historic Entertainment District – Four blocks from the CHI Health Convention Center
  4. Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge –Located directly behind the CHI Health Convention Center, crossing the Missouri River, connecting Nebraska and Iowa at 705 Riverfront Dr, Omaha, NE 68102
  5. Kiewit Luminarium/The Riverfront –Located directly behind the CHI Health Convention Center on the banks of the Missouri River at 345 Riverfront Dr, Omaha, NE 68102
  6. Joslyn Art Museum –5 minutes from the CHI Health Convention Center at 2200 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68102