At both the heart of the Midwest and the country is the continuously rising-star metropolitan area encompassing Omaha, Neb., and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Separated by state lines and the Missouri River, and connected via the 3,000-foot-long Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, the two meetings-friendly neighbors share a central locale and affordability while holding onto their own unique personalities.
Omaha is an ever-burgeoning cultural hot spot brimming with an incredible music scene as well as tasty steakhouses at every turn, and in Council Bluffs, an intriguing history meets the excitement of a modern-day gaming and shopping community.
According to area CVB representatives, while the two have their own charm, they are both friendly and popular, and groups visiting one often enjoy outings to the other.
Omaha
In addition to being centrally located, safe and affordable, Omaha is considered a growing cultural oasis in the plains, according to Dana Markel, executive director at the Omaha CVB.
She points to millions having been invested in distinctive public art scattered throughout the downtown area; the $100 million Holland Performing Arts Center, which has been called a symbol of 21st century urban modernism; and the Old Market Entertainment District, where groups can stroll cobblestone streets lined with open-air restaurants, galleries and hip boutiques.
"Musicians and artists perform on the street corners, creating an ever-changing stage for visitors," she adds. "With close to a million people living in the metropolitan area, the city is making its mark with unique cultural and entertainment options. It's a fresh new choice for groups."
Plus, where else in the Midwest can visiting groups explore a jungle, a desert and an exotic island, plus eat and shop at the same places as billionaire Warren Buffett, Markel asks.
"Known for its legendary steaks, Omaha has dozens of home-grown steakhouses you won't find anywhere else," she says.
And at Omaha's popular must-visit attraction, the Henry Doorly Zoo, she adds, groups can hike through America's largest indoor rainforest with monkeys swinging overhead at the Lied Jungle, immerse themselves in a desert environment with rare and endangered species in the world's largest indoor desert, and listen to the wild call of the orangutans and catch a view from the canopy level at Hubbard Orangutan Forest.
Zoo visitors are also encouraged to explore an exotic new island, Expedition Madagascar, a no-barrier exhibit where guests can walk into the animals' habitat for a possible close encounter.
The Henry Doorly Zoo is also a popular off-site venue for group gatherings, with options such as a cocktail reception for up to 300 in the Hubbard Gorilla Valley, a luncheon for up to 100 at the Zebra Picnic Pavilion or a dinner banquet for up to 300 at Durham's TreeTops Restaurant in the Lied Jungle.
Meanwhile, the Holland Performing Arts Center boasts an impressive calendar of events and also accommodates group receptions, meetings and award ceremonies in its equally impressive and attractive function spaces.
Considered a cornerstone of Omaha's cultural history, the former vaudeville house now known as the Orpheum Theater was constructed in 1927 and restored to its former glory in 2002. Performances range from Tony Bennett in concert to touring Broadway shows like Wicked, and planners might consider its gorgeous Grand Lobby or Slosburg Hall for off-site gatherings.
At the base on the Omaha side of the one-of-a-kind Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, which S-curves over the Missouri River, is a $2 million plaza with dancing water jets, art sculptures and a miniature amphitheater.
"An event held along the riverfront can culminate with a walk on 'Bob,'" Markel says. "This is very fun, especially if a meeting leader is named Bob."
Among Omaha's other attractions that double as off-site venues for events are the Joslyn Art Museum; the Durham Museum, a historic Art Deco train station transformed into a Smithsonian-affiliated museum; and the Lauritzen Gardens at Omaha's Botanical Center.
Meanwhile, downtown Omaha's Qwest Center Omaha Convention Center and Arena offers more than 194,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, more than 63,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and an additional 42,500 square feet of prefunction space.
Other meetings-equipped venues in town include the Scott Conference Center, the CoCo Key Water Resort and Convention Center, the Doubletree Omaha Downtown, Embassy Suites Omaha-Downtown/Old Market, Omaha Marriott, Crowne Plaza Omaha Old Mill and the Hilton Omaha, which is connected via skywalk to the convention center and is undergoing a $35 million expansion that is slated for completion in early 2012.
Additionally, the 132-room Element by Westin Omaha Midtown Crossing opened in November 2010 with one meeting room, and Hotel Deco, a luxury boutique property, is scheduled to open in May 2011 with 89 guest rooms and 5,000 square feet of meeting space.
Situated 45 minutes south of Omaha in historic Nebraska City is the IACC-certified, 144-room Lied Lodge and Conference Center. The property sits within the 260-acre Arbor Day Farm and features 14,000 square feet of meeting space, an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, unique architecture and a peaceful, scenic setting.
Council Bluffs
Across "Bob" is Council Bluffs, Iowa, whose overall appeal for meetings and conventions lies in its location, affordability, friendliness of its community and the professionalism of the CVB staff, says Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Council Bluffs Area COC and Council Bluffs CVB.
This new yet old community is a meetings destination where public art greets delegates at every turn, and shopping and dining are easy to find at the Metro Crossing Shopping Center and the Marketplace Council Bluffs, whose combined 900,000 square feet of shopping space includes standby national stores as well as a good mix of smaller shops and restaurants.
A short jaunt downtown puts delegates near Bayliss Park and bronze statues of black squirrels, the mascot of Council Bluffs due to their large resident population. Across the street in the former Carnegie Library is the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, a must-visit attraction where visitors particularly enjoy the display on passenger rail travel. And farther down the block is a wine bar and antique shops to explore.
"Some of the most popular places groups enjoy in Council Bluffs are the Historic General Dodge House, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge over the Missouri River linking Nebraska and Iowa, and our 2.5-acre green space in downtown, the beautiful Bayliss Park," says Kathy Fiscus, director of special projects for the Council Bluffs CVB. "We also love to arrange public art tours or a gaming lesson at one of our three distinct casinos."
These meetings-friendly gaming facilities with overnight accommodations include Horseshoe Council Bluffs, Ameristar Hotel and Casino and Harrah's Casino and Hotel.
Another of the main meetings players in town is the Mid-America Center Convention Center and Arena, and the recently opened Hilton Garden Inn Omaha East/Council Bluffs, which is connected to the Horseshoe Council Bluffs.
CVB representatives add the River's Edge Park will soon be more than a muddy landscape, as much work has been done to prepare the area for a transformation. What once was an undeveloped area of trees, brush and mud along the Missouri River will be reborn as a popular place to explore, complete with a great lawn for festivals, meandering trails to enjoy nature, picnic facilities, public art and views of the Omaha skyline to the West.
Council Bluffs has a variety of unique off-site venues for group gatherings, according to Josee Beier, director of convention sales for the Council Bluffs CVB, who points to Bayliss Park Hall, the Historic General Dodge House and Hitchcock Nature Center in the Loess Hills as ideal choices for events.
The Hitchcock Nature Center and the Loess Hills Lodge are perched within a globally significant geological landform located along the eastern edge of the Missouri River floodplain. Visitors meet amid dinosaur-age dust and unique formations, and enjoy views of wildlife from observation decks. Hiking trails and picnic areas are available for groups seeking a mellow, reflective outing, and the lodge sports scenic overlooks from its main meeting spaces. The Goldfinch Room, located off the courtyard, accommodates 50 people, and the Bluestem Room, situated off the patio, accommodates up to 70 people.
Walking into Bayliss Park Hall, a wonderful historic building built in 1901, is like stepping back in time, says Arlo Burk, the venue's spokesperson.
"Most all of the woodwork is original," he says. "It's Victorian on the inside and overlooks Bayliss Park in the center of downtown Council Bluffs. Walking into the building you will experience a reception room with a hand-carved, 12-foot fireplace on one end of the room with a circular Oak Stairway at the other."
The facility features various meeting space throughout the first floor and a ballroom on the second floor. Seating is available for groups of up to 200.
The Historic General Dodge House, a 14-room Victorian mansion, is a terrific setting for small receptions, company dinners and Christmas parties of up to 60 people, says Laurie Park, spokesperson for the venue.
"We offer outdoor grounds and an indoor ballroom that can seat up to 60 people," she says, adding that guests will enjoy the intimate setting and beautiful landscaping, and they can also tour the historic home of Abraham Lincoln's friend, Gen. Grenville M. Dodge." MFMA
Carolyn Blackburn is a frequent contributor to Meetings Focus MidAmerica.
