OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Mayor Jean Stothert and the developer of the multi-million dollar renovation planned for Tranquility Park will make an announcement Thursday afternoon.
Chicken N Pickles is coming to Omaha to get in on the action. This entertainment chain features pickleball courts, food and beverage outlets, and party space.
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Thursday’s announcement involves “major entertainment tenants,” according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
Omaha city officials are planning a major renovation of Tranquility Park. The $54 million worth of renovations will include 13 to 16 multi-purpose synthetic turf fields. 8 to 11 baseball and softball fields. Parking and concessions have also been improved.
The upgrades are expected to help Omaha keep pace with the growth of youth sports in the region. Construction on the soccer field is expected to begin next year, with baseball and softball renovations expected to begin in 2026. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
“This will be used by everyone,” Stothert said in his initial announcement in June. “We have a lot of young people living on the east side of our city, and we want to make sure they have access here. It opens up a whole new opportunity for a lot of kids who couldn’t afford to go to tournaments because they had to go.”
Consultants suggest the city would benefit from the investment.
“We worked with an independent research firm to figure out that if all of these areas were completed, we could bring in approximately $78 million in direct visitor spending,” said Visit Omaha Executive. Director Deborah Ward said in a June announcement.
There’s more to this project than just a soccer field or baseball field.
Roanoke Business Park will undergo extensive renovations. The new hotel, restaurant and retail store will be built along 120th Street between Maple and Fort streets, just steps away from the sports complex, and will have all the amenities visitors need.
The city of Omaha will pick up the lion’s share of the $54 million tab, with help from state sales tax refunds and possibly help from private donors.
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This is a developing story. Check out 6 News for the latest information.
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