OMAHA – A $323 million plan for a mixed-use campus on Omaha’s former Civic Auditorium site has received approval from the Omaha Planning Board. The project, owned by Civic Corner LLC and developed by private developer White Lotus Group, had faced legal challenges with city officials but now appears back on track.
The six-phase mixed-use project stalled in September 2025 after Omaha city officials issued a notice of default, claiming construction had not progressed according to terms. The developer disagreed and took the matter to court in January. Though the city initially filed counterclaims, it retreated from those efforts with a judge’s approval in August.
Most recently, Civic Corner representatives appeared before the Omaha Planning Board, which voted 6-0 to approve a request for $34 million in public tax-increment financing to help cover costs. The request now heads to the City Council for final approval. Tax-increment financing allows new property tax revenue on a TIF site to be diverted for up to 20 years to help pay a developer’s eligible project costs.
The redevelopment plan includes about 380 apartments, 30 for-sale condos, 120 hotel rooms, 125,000 square feet of offices, and 150,000 square feet of retail space, including a fitness center and a grocery store. The latest plan submitted to the city estimated the creation of 80 new jobs.
Planning Board member David Rosacker called the redevelopment plan “well-conceived” with elements that “feed on each other.” He reflected on his youthful experiences attending the auditorium for the Shrine Circus, though he also noted the lengthy wait for something to fill the tract historically known for hosting decades of school graduations, concerts, political rallies, sports, and other events.
White Lotus and the city entered into an initial agreement in late 2021, but the developer has owned the land for three years, having paid the city about $1.4 million for it. The site is also nicknamed “The Nest” by student groups, due to its proximity to Creighton University Bluejays.
Board Chair Michael Pate sought answers about the timetable, noting the city does not want the property to be “sitting there … and not having much activity on it.” Pate complimented the overall vision, which focuses on drawing young talent and Creighton University Bluejays to the site called Civic Square.
The developer’s tax-increment financing request has also been endorsed by a city TIF committee and the Planning Department staff, though an exchange between Pate and Deputy City Attorney Jennifer Taylor showed that not all legal issues with the city have been resolved.
