Thousands Visit Gene Leahy Mall on Opening Weekend

(July 5, 2022)

Omaha celebrated the 4^th of July weekend with the grand reopening of the Gene Leahy Mall at the Riverfront.

"The reopening of Gene Leahy Mall celebrates our promising vision for downtown Omaha. It reflects the generosity of donors and the beauty of the riverfront," said Mayor Jean Stothert. "The park is the centerpiece of a reimagined business, entertainment and residential district and a masterpiece of design. It's a place for everyone."

After just over three years of construction, an estimated 50,000 people visited the park or attended free concerts and theater performances during the opening weekend.

The RiverFront renovation modernized Gene Leahy Mall, which anchors downtown Omaha's urban core. By bringing the park up to street level, adding permanent amenities such as the Performance Pavilion, Arches Playground, dog park and sculpture garden, among others, the space can be effectively activated and will bring Omaha families and visitors to the park. One of the still popular features are the original park slides.

"The economic impact report on The RiverFront parks forecasts that over the next 30 years or so, the RiverFront is anticipated to produce an almost $10 billion impact," said Ken Stinson, co-founder of the Downtown Riverfront Trust.

Of the $325 million in The RiverFront project costs, about $275 million was generously gifted by private donors with the City of Omaha contributing an additional $50 million.

"Philanthropy is an investment in the community," said Mogens Bay, co-founder of the Downtown Riverfront Trust, "not for financial return, but for community return. What better example of that than the park we're opening."

"We are more than fortunate to have a generous private sector that is so willing to contribute to city projects that we can all enjoy. On behalf of the people of Omaha, thank you Ken and Mogens for leading one of the most significant projects in our city's history," said Mayor Stothert. "Your love of Omaha and its people, is apparent in every detail."

The RiverFront design was guided by OJB Landscape Architecture, with Kiewit Infrastructure and HDR rounding out the construction team. The Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA) has overseen daily operations since the project broke ground and will continue to manage park maintenance and activation.

"When people visit Gene Leahy Mall and the spaces of The RiverFront, all of their senses will be engaged," said Jim Burnett, Principal Designer and Partner at OJB. "We want people to feel connected to the special sense of place in this community and come away transformed by the power and beauty of nature."

"The reopening of the Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront is a great example of community collaboration," said Eric Keen, HDR Chairman and CEO. "Three years ago, we helped break ground on this important project, and we are excited to see it come together. It's been a pleasure working with the city and our business partners. Together, we are helping families and individuals enjoy the transformation of downtown Omaha."

Along with its physical transformation, programming will be an imperative component of The RiverFront with a growing list of local partners prepared to help immediately activate Gene Leahy Mall.

"Omaha is fortunate to have a variety of talented organizations who welcomed the opportunity to embark on this venture with us," said Roger Dixon, MECA President and CEO. "With their help, The RiverFront is destined to be an inclusive and enriching space."

Construction continues on the two connecting parks, Lewis and Clark Landing and Heartland of America Park. Both are scheduled to open in Spring 2023.

The RiverFront's newly launched website includes a daily events calendar, which can be found at: https://theriverfrontomaha.com/events/

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.