Assemble Lincoln, Lancaster County’s committee overseeing the development of Lincoln, Nebraska’s Downtown Convention Center, announced that the Garfield Public/Private site near South 13th and M streets has been tabbed as the selected location for Lincoln’s convention center.
After an exhaustive process that began in the fall of 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 Garfield Public/Private Site, the REV Development Site and U.S. Post Office in the Haymarket were the three finalist sites identified.
The Lincoln Downtown Convention Center project has brought together an elite partnership team that includes state government leaders from Governor Jim Pillen’s office, state senators from the Nebraska Legislature, Congressman Mike Flood’s office, Lancaster County, Assemble Lincoln, Legends, Populous and Clark & Enersen and other community partners. The group has worked through the process of identifying the very best site for the Downtown Lincoln Convention Center, developing an economic catalyst for the Lincoln community and a meeting place that helps increase the vibrance of Lincoln.
Numerous meetings included public open houses and presentations to gather important feedback from the community. Criteria used in site selection process included the following:
- Site fundamentals, including site suitability, size and shape of parcel and site utilities.
- Community Integration and Growth, including active urban environment and partnership opportunities.
- Accessibility and Connectivity, including roadway access, traffic flow and pedestrian connectivity.
- Site Environmental Impact, including geotechnical, floodplain, easements, liens and restrictions.
Next steps in the process to develop the selected downtown convention center 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 of Nebraska, 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 RFPs and building a master schedule and budget for development of the selected site.
Senator Eliot Bostar, Chair of Assemble Lincoln, commented on the announcement, “This milestone highlights the power of collaboration between state leadership, local and federal partners, and the private sector. This project is about more than building a new venue; it’s about driving innovation, fostering economic growth, and creating opportunities for our community to thrive. Together, we are laying the foundation for a future of expanded tourism, job creation, and regional prosperity. This is a bold step forward, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
U.S. Congressman Mike Flood, Nebraska’s First District Representative, adds, “I applaud the diligent work of the Assemble Lincoln committee in evaluating all the possible locations for the siting of the new downtown convention center. The Garfield site will serve as a connector between the Haymarket and Downtown to the State Capitol. Congratulations to Lincoln on this exciting next step for your community.”
Sean Flowerday, Lancaster County Board of Commissioners, says, “It has been an honor to work alongside a world-class team to bring forward this opportunity and Lancaster County is excited to be partners in creating a state-of-the-art facility for our community.”
Jason Ball, President & CEO, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, notes, “Today’s announcement marks important progress towards a central element of the Vitality Lincoln Strategic Plan. A downtown convention center will greatly enhance our ability to attract meetings and groups to our community. This is a tremendous opportunity for the Visit Lincoln division of the Lincoln Chamber to continue growing Lincoln as a destination as the tourism economy evolves.”
This decision marks another significant step forward in the efforts to bring a world-class convention center to Downtown Lincoln. Assemble Lincoln looks forward to further discussion with stakeholders and the community as this exciting development initiative moves forward with a convention center site now in place.
