Omaha city and business leaders met Wednesday to rally support for two upcoming ballot initiatives.
The Building Better Omaha Committee was formed by the Greater Omaha Chamber to advocate for two bond issues totaling $185 million that will appear on the November ballot.
Question one will ask voters to authorize up to $155 million in general obligation bonds for public facilities. The money would be used for a $181 million safety headquarters planned to take shape within the long-awaited Crossroads development.
The 275,000-square-foot development is slotted for a 3.2-acre site between Cass and Chicago streets near 74th Avenue. It’s estimated to hold more than 300 public safety professionals from the Omaha Police Department and Omaha Fire Department.
Omaha police have looked to build a new police headquarters since 2009, said Omaha Mayor John Ewing.
“This joint headquarters provides OPD and OFD with the same command center,” Ewing said “It also is more centrally located in the city, making headquarters more accessible citywide to the police precincts.”
Question two on the ballot will ask voters to authorize up to $30 million for park and recreation improvements. That money would be used to complete redevelopments on Tranquility Park, a multi-sport complex that city officials said could host national soccer tournaments.
The current plan for the complex at 120th Street and West Maple Road calls for 16 synthetic-turf fields. Construction has started on the first 12 fields, which are expected to open in summer 2027, with four additional fields anticipated to open in fall 2027.
The goal of the project is to create a destination for youth sports, said Nate Dodge, chair of the Building a Better Omaha Committee.
“Our job over the next several weeks is simply to make voters sure they have good information, understand why these projects matter, and understand what they mean to Omaha – not just for today, but 20 years and 30 years from now,” Dodge said.
Neither bond authorization would require an increase in the City of Omaha property tax levy.