Omaha Area
- The Hilton Omaha (402.988.3400; www.omaha.hilton.com) plans to finish several upgrades in 2012, including the addition of 150 guest rooms and 7,000 square feet of meeting space. The property currently has 450 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space.
- The Coco Key Water Resort was recently rebranded the Ramada Plaza Omaha Hotel and Convention Center (402.393.3950; www.ramadaplazaomaha.com).
- The Element Omaha Midtown Crossing (402.614.8080; www.starwoodhotels.com) opened last November with 132 guest rooms and about 900 square feet of meeting space.
- The 75-room Holiday Inn Express Omaha I-80 (402.504.3716; www.hiexpress.com) opened in Gretna last September. The property offers 625 square feet of meeting space.
Lincoln Area
- Plans are under way for a new arena complex in Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket District (402.434.5335; www.haymarketnow.com). Construction will begin this winter on a 16,500-seat arena, slated for completion in fall 2013.
- The Cornhusker, A Marriott Hotel (402.474.7474; www.marriott.com) is planning to initiate a large-scale renovation in early 2012.
- A Courtyard by Marriott (402.434.5335; www.marriott.com) is slated to open in Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket District in early 2012. The property will offer 155 guest rooms as well as meeting space.
- A 105-room Hilton Garden Inn (402.434.5335; www.hilton.com) is slated to open in Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket District in early 2012.
- The 144-room Lied Lodge & Conference Center (402.873.8705; www.liedlodge.org), located at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City east of Lincoln, completed soft good renovations to its conference center last year. The property sits on 260 acres and offers 14,000 square feet of meeting space.
Columbus/Norfolk/South Sioux City
- New World Inn & Conference Center (402.564.1492; www.newworldinncc.com) in Columbus recently updated its 142 guest units.
- The 181-room Marina Inn Hotel & Conference Center (402.494.4000; www.marina-inn.com) in South Sioux City recently finished a guest room renovation.
Central Nebraska
- Nebraska State Fair (308.382.1620; www.statefair.org) moved to Grand Island in 2010. The grounds include a State Fair Show Arena that can hold 2,000 people, its exhibition building measures 101,000 square feet, and the visitor center can handle 120 people.
- The 105-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Grand Island (308.381.8980; www.marriott.com) opened in mid-2010 with 1,600 square feet of meeting space.
- The Quality Hotel & Convention Center (402.463.4661; www.qualityinn.com) in Hastings is undergoing a renovation.
Western Nebraska
- The Comfort Inn (308.632.7510; www.comfortinn.com) in Scottsbluff recently completed a renovation of several of its 75 guest rooms.