Feb 28 2022

Feasibility Study for Potential Lincoln Convention Center Finalized

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CSL International, a public assembly facility and tourism consulting firm, has recently completed a feasibility study regarding the potential development of a new convention center in Lincoln. The feasibility study was commissioned through the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lincoln Downtown Rotary 14 and the Downtown Lincoln Association.

The report from CSL provides an evaluation of the convention industry as it stands today in the market, identifies potential challenges or unrealized market share potential in the Lincoln destination and confirms these findings with real input from ultimate end-users of a potential Lincoln Convention Center—event planners.

As significant development has taken place downtown, including hotel supply increases, event planners from the local, state and regional marketplaces have become increasingly interested in rotating event activity to Lincoln.

“Much like Pinnacle Bank Arena and the adjacent entertainment district, a convention center would become yet another transformative destination development for our community and downtown. It would enhance the tourism landscape and help shape the future of tourism in Lincoln for years to come, continuing the ongoing momentum of Lincoln as one of the Midwest’s most beloved destinations,” says Jeff Maul, executive director of the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Rotary 14 looked at a wide variety of challenging projects to help continue Lincoln’s positive transformation, continuing the work of the organization in Lincoln for the past 100 plus years.

“We support the development of a convention center for Lincoln because we see it as important for future growth in Lincoln. For Lincoln to be a world class city, we need to have a convenient place for our people to gather, to further their education, to foster the development of their businesses and organizations and to connect with people from a wide variety of backgrounds,” says Steve Glenn, chairman of Lincoln Rotary 14’s WOW committee.

Report findings suggest the development of a new convention center with 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 state-of-the-industry elements such as dynamic pre-function and outdoor spaces that can be used for events.

The report also identifies five potential sites for convention center development in downtown Lincoln, each of which would leverage particular unique strengths of the downtown area, including the type of walkability increasingly sought by event planners. 

CSL-recommended next steps include working with architects and engineers to further evaluate the strengths and challenges of these sites as part of a more detailed site selection process. The complete results and recommendations of the study will be made available at a later date.

The Downtown Lincoln Association continues to support businesses, programs and activities that enhance economic opportunities and the quality of life in the downtown area.

“DLA is pleased with the results of the study, as it clearly reveals that our community can support a convention center. We look forward to working with the CVB and Rotary 14 to find the best path to maximize the number of visitors coming to Lincoln,” says Todd Ogden, president and CEO of the Downtown Lincoln Association.