Omaha Performing Arts receives additional $2.5 million in state funds for Tenaska Center

The Tenaska Center for Arts Engagement will soon be the latest building on a campus which already includes the Holland Performing Arts Center and Steelhouse Omaha.

The center is currently under construction on 12th Street between Dodge and Douglas streets in downtown Omaha.

Sabrina Weiss, the Vice President of Development for Omaha Performing Arts, said the new space will host master classes with Broadway artists and performing arts workshops for students and teachers.

“We don't have any space available to offer any camps or classes,” Weiss said. “So, the new building will have three rehearsal halls of varying sizes where we can do not only rehearsal halls, but small performances.”

The project comes at a cost of $108 million, with the majority of funds coming from private donors.

In June 2022, the project received $3.86 million from the state of Nebraska through the Shovel-Ready Capital Recovery and Investment Act program.

Last week, Gov. Jim Pillen and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert announced that the state was increasing the amount of money for the project to $6.31 million dollars by reallocating the remaining program funds.

The Joselyn Art Museum and Elkhorn Athletic Association also received identical grant funding amounts for other projects in the Omaha metro area.

“The additional state funding really is helping us to really make the project come to fruition,” Weiss said. “Obviously, we've already started construction on it, but it's really getting us closer to the finish line to securing the final funding for the project.”

Omaha Performing Arts anticipates the Tenaska Center will open in the spring of 2026.