LINCOLN, NEB. — Assemble Lincoln, Lancaster County’s standing committee overseeing the development of Lincoln’s Downtown Convention Center, has selected the Garfield Public/Private site near South 13th and M streets as the location for Lincoln’s convention center. After a process that began in fall 2023 following two feasibility studies in 2022 and 2023 by CSL, commissioned by the Downtown Lincoln Association, Lincoln Downtown Rotary #14 and Visit Lincoln, three sites were shortlisted as finalists in July 2024.
The convention center is estimated to come with an investment between $111 million and $120 million and have an impact of $18.5 million in total economic output annually, supporting 230 jobs and generating nearly $1.3 million in tax revenue per year.
Next steps in the process to develop the site include beginning outreach and preliminary negotiations with landowners of the parcels being considered for development, submitting Lancaster County’s Turn Back Tax application to the state, understanding the anticipated timeline of approval of the application and when funds would become available if approved, determining a schedule for issuing design, preconstruction and construction management request for proposals and building a master schedule and budget for development of the site.
The selected site is situated directly across from the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel and within walking distance of cultural attractions such as the Nebraska History Museum, the Lied Center for the Performing Arts and the Lincoln Children’s Museum. Construction plans for the 125,000-square-foot facility include a 25,000- to 30,000-square-foot multipurpose event hall, 20,000 to 24,000 square feet of supporting ballroom and meeting space, and pre-function and outdoor spaces that can be used for events.