OMAHA — On Thursday, the proposed business park near the airport in Omaha faced a delay when a newly formed city board in northeast Omaha hesitated to provide a letter of support for the project.
A development team from the Omaha Economic Development Corporation and Burlington Capital asked for the letter. It was discussed at the first meeting of Omaha’s Inland Port Authority Board, which is responsible for managing development in around 300 acres in the northeast area of the city.
The business park has been getting a lot of public attention for months. Governor Jim Pillen and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert announced the $90 million grant in January. But the newly appointed Port Authority board members said they needed more details before they could offer their support. State law requires the letter of support to release the funding.
“It’s super premature,” said State Sen. Terrell McKinney, who was elected as the authority’s chair.
‘Living under a cloud’
At the first meeting, the board dedicated the majority of the two-hour session to approving rules, creating committees, and addressing procedural issues like scheduling monthly meetings.
During the discussion about the support letter, McKinney stated that he wanted the board to look at financial projections and community engagement evidence before anything else. He also criticized the OEDC development team for not reaching out to the community earlier in the process.
The rest of the board members mentioned that they too wanted to hear a simple overview of the main proposal from the OEDC, Burlington, and Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce collaboration.
Michael Maroney, OEDC executive director, agreed to give a presentation at the Port Authority’s upcoming monthly meeting, but he was worried about making the process longer.
He noticed that the Nebraska Department of Economic Development had given his team a planning grant for the business park the previous year. The governor had announced a larger implementation grant of nearly $90 million earlier this year, based on the DED’s recommendation. The grant funds need to be used by the end of 2027.
Maroney mentioned that residents in the 160-acre area for the business park have been uncertain for too long. His team wants the funding to be released to hire a relocation firm to discuss property sales with owners.
Maroney mentioned that the consulting company he’s arranged wants to be compensated for talking to residents about selling.
Eminent domain off the table
Maroney mentioned that there are around 175 properties on the site. According to neighbors, over 120 of them are homes. Maroney estimated that it would take approximately six months for the consultant to meet with all the residents.
He mentioned that if they couldn’t get enough land for the project, the developers would consider going to another location instead, west of the airport and north of Carter Lake.
Thomas Warren, a member of the Port Authority and Stothert’s chief of staff, emphasized that eminent domain is not an issue. He mentioned that the grant funds do not allow for forced displacement.
“There should be no confusion,” he stated. He added that Stothert has expressed no desire to use eminent domain to take residential property for the airport business park.
“The time is running out, and we recognize the need to advance this project,” Warren said.
Carmen Tapio, a Port Authority member, business owner, and Chamber leader, emphasized the importance of understanding resident interest before offering a letter of support.
“It does seem premature, and a little bit cart before the horse,” she said.
‘We’re not for sale’
The president of a neighborhood association, Joe Fox, stated that he hasn’t observed any neighbors choosing to sell their homes for the business park.
“As we stand right now, we’re not for sale,” Fox said. “Our land is irreplaceable.”
At the first meeting of the Port Authority, members chose Davielle Phillips from Holland Basham Architects to be the vice chair. They also mentioned that they would begin accepting applications for a community advisory board through the City Clerk’s website soon.
The Port Authority started with some controversy because people were upset about not knowing how appointments were made.
Nebraska lawmakers established inland ports to boost employment and commerce. These entities have the authority to sell bonds for building and infrastructure in the designated area, subject to approval from the state and city.
Stothert surprised everyone by showing up to greet the board on Thursday. She also selected the members, who needed City Council approval for their appointments.
Councilwoman Juanita Johnson was the only council member who voted against the nominees, who were all voted in together. Johnson was at the meeting and later expressed satisfaction with the board’s decisions, noting that it didn’t appear to be a “rubber stamp committee.”
“The committee members were very engaged, open to ideas and suggestions,” she said.