City of Omaha extends deadline, continues talks with developer of former Civic Auditorium site

The City of Omaha has extended a deadline for a major downtown development project.

White Lotus Group was on a tight timeline to show substantial progress in redeveloping the former site of the Civic Auditorium or the city will attempt to buy back the property, a move allowed under the contract with the developer.

Under a contract signed in 2022, White Lotus was required, through its best efforts, to complete installation of at least 50% of the project’s public infrastructure within 18 months of closing on the property in the fall of 2023.

That level of work has not been accomplished, said Deputy City Attorney Jennifer Taylor. The city sent a notice of default Sept. 8 that gave White Lotus 60 days to meet a number of requirements. Those 60 days were up last Friday.

“The city has provided for additional time to discuss the matter with White Lotus Group,” Taylor said in an emailed statement Monday.

Nicknamed “The Nest,” White Lotus’ redevelopment of the Civic Auditorium site aims to draw in Creighton University students with housing, health care, retail and a long-awaited downtown grocery store.

“Our goal is to create a dynamic environment that complements Creighton’s beautiful campus and enriches the student experience, encouraging more students to stay in Omaha after graduation,” White Lotus shared in a press release.

What the city will do with the property if it regains ownership is unknown.

Conversations held over the summer between White Lotus and city leaders indicate a local nonprofit may be interested in bringing a youth sports project to the space, a possibility the city has declined to confirm.

A buyback would end what has been the most substantial progress in developing the roughly seven acres of land between 17th and 19th streets along Capitol Avenue in nearly a decade.