The Owls lead expansion of professional sports in downtown Omaha
OMAHA, Nebr. (November 21, 2025) – Union Omaha Soccer, in partnership with the City of Omaha, is announcing an agreement for the development of a professional soccer stadium and mixed-use district in north downtown Omaha. If approved, a groundbreaking would occur in 2026 and the stadium would open in 2028.
This new stadium would serve as a transformative anchor for the area, adding a walkable, vibrant and transit-oriented destination. Once built, it will be visible from Abbott Drive, adding a new “wow factor” to the city’s front door.
The new stadium will house Union Omaha, Nebraska’s premier professional soccer team and a two-time USL League One champion. It will also be the future home to a women’s professional team. The stadium will anchor a 20-acre district of retail, dining, housing and green space. It will accentuate a rapidly evolving area that includes the Hot Shops Art Center and Millwork Commons.
“This is huge for Omaha,” said Omaha Mayor John Ewing. “The stadium and surrounding district would offer another reason to live, work and play downtown, strengthening our urban core. It will be an engine for jobs, housing, entertainment and urban living. It demonstrates what’s possible when public and private partners share a vision for growth that benefits the entire community.”
The project will rise on a largely unused site north of Cuming Street that Union Pacific Railroad currently owns and is in the process of selling to the City of Omaha. Redeveloping this property allows Omaha to extend its urban fabric, strengthen basic infrastructure, and create a walkable connection between the expanding downtown district and the neighborhoods to the north. The location offers ample space for a modern stadium, new housing, entertainment, retail, and public areas. The result will be a vibrant destination that adds energy and purpose to the city’s core. The City of Omaha and Union Omaha appreciate Union Pacific’s willingness to help make this catalytic vision possible.
The development is projected to create hundreds of construction and other jobs, with future phases offering the promise of more permanent positions in soccer operations, retail, hospitality, and housing. “Union Omaha was founded to unite our city around the world’s game,” said Gary Green, co-owner of Union Omaha and CEO of Alliance Sports. “This stadium and district aren’t just a venue, they’re a statement. They are a statement that Omaha is here to compete with any city, on any stage, and that we’re investing in our future, our identity, and the strength of our community, all in close partnership with City Hall. When we take the field with Union Omaha across our chest, we’re building something that will propel this city forward for decades to come.”
With soccer ranking among America’s fastest-growing sports, this project strengthens Omaha’s competitiveness with peer Midwest cities investing in professional soccer infrastructure. The USL—one of the oldest and largest professional soccer organizations in the United States, with nearly 40 clubs across its Championship and League One tiers—includes cities such as Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Louisville that have built or are building or expanding soccer-specific stadiums. By developing a modern stadium home for Union Omaha, a two-time USL League One champion, Omaha joins that momentum and positions itself for long-term growth in sports, entertainment, and urban development.
“Union Omaha’s success on the pitch has always reflected the passion of the Omaha community,” said Alexis Boulos, General Manager of Union Omaha. “Union Omaha’s motto is One Means All, and this new downtown home will give fans, families, students, businesses, and visitors a place to celebrate that spirit together and showcase Omaha on the national stage.”
The stadium will bring professional soccer to the heart of Omaha, creating a premier venue for matches, community events, and youth engagement. As part of the larger mixed-use district, it reflects Union Omaha’s commitment to community impact by hosting youth tournaments, school championships, and learning opportunities that connect young people to the excitement of the game and inspire the next generation of players and fans.
“This is exactly the kind of catalytic project that will continue our city’s growth,” said Heath Mello, President and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. “It adds energy to our urban core, helps recruit and retain the workforce of the future, and creates a professional sport destination that strengthens Omaha’s competitiveness with other growing U.S. cities.”
Currently, the stadium is estimated to cost $114 million. There will be additional infrastructure costs as well. It also depends on upcoming City Council review and approval of the land purchase with Union Pacific and a separate Union Omaha application for State of Nebraska turnback tax funding. There will also be future City Council approvals needed for financing sources to include tax increment financing and occupation tax requests as well as potential direct city financing, such as bonds or capital improvement dollars.
For its upcoming 2026 season, Union Omaha will play at Creighton University’s Morrison Stadium. Season tickets are available here. The team is led by sporting director Jamie Henderson and new head coach Vincenzo “Vinnie” Candela.
Union Omaha plans to break ground in 2026, with the stadium expected to be completed in time for the 2028 season. Union Omaha selected Hines as the development lead for the stadium, with HOK as the design architect. Other identified partners include RDG Planning & Design for landscape architecture and the Sports & Entertainment practice group at global real estate services firm JLL. The group has in-depth experience with sports anchored mixed-use development projects across the US.
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ABOUT UNION OMAHA
Union Omaha, the 2021 and 2024 USL League One Champions, is the premier professional soccer team in the state of Nebraska. USL League One is a United States Soccer Federation-sanctioned professional men’s soccer league that occupies the third tier of the American soccer landscape, below USL Championship (tier two) and a newly announced top-tier Division One league, launching in 2028. Union Omaha will play its 2026 USL League One home matches at Morrison Stadium in downtown Omaha. The team is led by General Manager Alexis Boulos in the front office and by Head Coach Vincenzo Candela on the pitch.
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