| CHI Health Center Omaha[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
 | |
| Former names | Omaha Arena and Convention Center (planning/construction) Qwest Center Omaha (2003–11) CenturyLink Center Omaha (2011–18) |
| Alternative names | CHI Health Center Omaha Convention Center and Arena |
| General information | |
| Location | Downtown Omaha |
| Address | 455 North 10th Street Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41°15′47″N 95°55′41″W / 41.263°N 95.928°W |
| Named for | CHI Health |
| Groundbreaking | March 1, 2001 |
| Opened | September 20, 2003 |
| Inaugurated | September 12, 2003 |
| Cost | $291 million ($482 million in 2023 dollars[2]) |
| Owner | City of Omaha |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 1,118,300 square feet (103,890 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | DLR Group |
| Structural engineer | Thornton-Tomasetti Group |
| Services engineer | M–E Engineers, Inc. |
| Main contractor | Kiewit Construction Co. |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 18,320 (basketball) 17,100 (hockey) 18,975 (concert center-stage) 2,693 (Peter Kiewit Grand Ballroom) |
| Parking | 4,500 spaces |
| Public transit access | Metro Transit |
The CHI Health Center Omaha is an arena and convention center in the central United States, located in the North Downtown neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. Operated by the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA), the 1.1-million-square-foot (100,000 m2) facility has an 18,975-seat arena, a 194,000 sq ft (18,000 m2) exhibition hall, and 62,000 sq ft (5,800 m2) of meeting space.
The complex opened on September 20, 2003 as Qwest Center Omaha, and adopted the name of CenturyLink Center Omaha on July 15, 2011, as part of a $22 billion buyout of Qwest by CenturyLink (formerly CenturyTel).[3][4] In July 2018, CHI Health bought the naming rights to the arena under a 20-year agreement worth $23.6 million,[5] and the arena was renamed CHI Health Center Omaha effective September 1, that year.[6]
Just west of the Missouri River, the elevation at street level is approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level.
The arena hosts basketball and hockey games, professional wrestling events, concerts, and the annual shareholders' meeting of Omaha-based conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, usually held on the first Saturday of May.
The arena's primary tenant is the Creighton University men's basketball team. Through the 2014–15 NCAA ice hockey season, the Omaha Mavericks men's ice hockey team, representing the University of Nebraska Omaha, was also a primary tenant, but the Mavericks moved to the new Baxter Arena effective with the 2015–16 season.[7][8]
- ^ Mertes, Micha (22 June 2018). "Weird names for sporting arenas around the world, some far stranger than CHI Health Center Omaha". Omaha World-Herald.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ Sabin, Jeff (March 24, 2011). "Name Change Coming For Qwest Center Omaha". WOWT News. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
- ^ Moring, Roseann (July 29, 2015). "MECA prepares for new CenturyLink Center naming rights contract". Omaha World-Herald.
- ^ Nohr, Emily. "So long, CenturyLink Center. CHI Health buys Omaha arena naming rights in $23.6 million deal". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "Men's Basketball To Play at CHI Health Center Omaha". Creighton Bluejays (Press release). June 21, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "UNO Community Arena". University of Nebraska Omaha. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
- ^ "Mavericks, Baxter Share Spotlight in 4-2 Win" (Press release). Omaha Athletics. October 23, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2015.