Omaha is reportedly among at least seven U.S. cities that could host the 2027 Women’s World Volleyball Championships in the United States and Canada.
The Nebraska Tourism Commission is accepting applications for $175,000 grants through May 8 to help promote the event.
The funds come from the Nebraska Legislature’s appropriations bill, LB1071, signed into law on April 7. The bill states the grant “shall only be used for a marketing grant related to international volleyball events at a city of the metropolitan class.”
In September, Sports Business Journal reported Omaha was one of at least seven cities interested in taking part in the tournament, with the U.S. and Canada filing a joint bid. USA Volleyball announced a week later that the U.S. and Canada earned the bid to host the tournament, but pool play and the round of 16 matches will take place in just two U.S. cities.
Omaha-area state senator Brad von Gillern said if Omaha earns the right to host the volleyball tournament it would be a “big economic driver.”
“What we’re investing to draw an event like this here is returned many times over, through hotel rooms and restaurants and entertainment and travel,” von Gillern said, “and also, it’s just good exposure for people from out of state to Nebraska.”
That exposure often leads to people returning to Nebraska down the road, von Gillern said. The economic impact could be comparable to when Omaha hosted the Olympic Swim trials for Team USA at the CHI Health Center every four years from 2008 to 2020, he added.
Anaheim, California; Sacramento, California; Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina and Orlando, Florida are the other U.S. cities interested in hosting, according to Sports Business Journal. The Greater Orlando Sports Commission announced in November that it was awarded one of the early round sites from Aug. 20-28, 2027. Anaheim, which will host the Olympic volleyball tournament in 2028, will host the World Championship finals match on Sept. 5, 2027.
The tourism commission, also called Visit Nebraska, told Nebraska Public Media News that Omaha hasn’t been confirmed as a destination for the tournament yet. If Omaha isn’t selected, “the funds won’t be spent,” a Visit Nebraska spokesperson said. As for who’s eligible to apply, the commission said, “the appropriation is for a marketing grant related to the event. Any eligible applicant would need to align with that purpose and go through the formal grant process.”
The marketing award from the tourism commission will be announced on May 14.