Aksarben Village

Aksarben Village
The Obelisk in Stinson Park, part of the Aksarben Village development
General information
Status	Complete
Location	Omaha, Nebraska USA
Completed	2008

Aksarben Village is a million sq ft mixed-use development located on the land of the former Ak-Sar-Ben coliseum and horse track in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. There is over 750,000 sq ft (70,000 m²) of space for research and business office and 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m²) of retail and entertainment space. There are over 500 housing units and a 135-room hotel. There is also a 4.5-acre (1.8 ha) park that features a 90 ft (27 m) tall obelisk.

After the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben turned over the land to Douglas County in the 1990s, the county first tried to keep the horse track and coliseum open, but both failed. The land was then turned over to the Aksarben Future Trust who now owns the land. On June 26, 2005, plans were announced to turn the land into a pedestrian friendly mixed-use development combined with the south campus of University of Nebraska Omaha, Aksarben Campus, and the already built First Data Campus. Construction began in 2006 and the first businesses began to open in 2008. Aksarben is Nebraska spelled backwards.

Aksarben Village is home to some of Omaha's major companies. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska has built and is occupying a 10-story building that opened in 2010 to house their headquarters.First Data built two office buildings there in the mid-2000s. Other business that have opened offices include DLR Group, Grubb & Ellis/Pacific Realty, and Olsson Associates.

Several restaurants such as Jones Bros. Cupcakes,Godfather's Pizza and Juice Stop have opened, as well as a bank, a Voodoo Taco, a Spirit World wine and liquor seller, a hair salon, and multiple bars and lounges. Two apartment complexes have opened, Broadmoor and the Pinhook Flats, named in reference to the historic horse track which used to occupy the land. Together the apartments add over 500 housing units to the development. A 135-room Marriott Hotel opened in 2008. In December 2010, Aksarben Cinema, a 10-screen movie theater opened and shortly after an Aspen Athletic Club fitness center opened in the same complex. Mojo Steakhouse and Ales, a full-service restaurant and bar will open in late spring of 2011 in the same complex.