Lincoln CVB’s staff tours the new downtown arena. Courtesy Lincoln CVB
Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau
1135 M St., Ste. 300
Lincoln, NE 68501
800-423-8212 or 402-434-5335
Fax: 402-436-2360
www.lincoln.org
What’s new: Pinnacle Bank Arena in downtown Lincoln is expected to open in fall 2013. Also downtown, the Haymarket district is expanding, and three new hotels are planned. The Cornhusker Hotel, formerly a Marriott, is undergoing an ownership change and is expected to fly another flag soon. A new suite-style residence hall to open in 2014 on the University of Nebraska campus in downtown will add rooms for summertime conferences. The Sheldon Art Museum hopes to expand its presence into the Haymarket district.
Kudos: In terms of jobs, health and affordability, Lincoln is a top vote-getter. Forbes.com called it the Most Livable City in America; in 2011, MSN said it was the eighth most affordable place to live. The American Lung Association has lauded Lincoln’s air quality; Men’s Health and Women’s Health have proclaimed it the seventh best and fifth best city for men and women, respectively.
Hotel rooms: There are 4,351 hotel rooms in Lincoln; about 900 are downtown, and another 400 are on the way.
Location: Lincoln is in the southeast corner of Nebraska, about 60 miles southwest of Omaha. It is 190 miles southwest of Des Moines, Iowa; 195 miles northwest of Kansas City, Mo.; and 216 miles south of Sioux Falls, S.D.
Getting there: The city is off Interstate 80, which spans the length of Nebraska and links Chicago to San Francisco. Lincoln Municipal Airport has daily service on Delta and United. Eppley Airfield in Omaha offers service to a dozen major cities. Amtrak trains make two stops each day in Lincoln, one westbound, one eastbound.
