Premium ContentMouse over Home then click on Premium Content for information.In more ways than the weather, Omaha has become Omahot.
The city has landed at or near the top of numerous listings, but leaders are especially pleased at the ranking published Monday: Kiplinger's Personal Finance rated Omaha the top "great value city" in America.
That is based on economic vitality, including the lowest unemployment rate among the largest 100 metros; a low cost of living and ample cultural offerings.
Said the magazine's Bob Frick: "Omaha really had that trifecta."
The president of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, David Brown, said the No. 1 ranking is particularly welcome because it's from a recognized, credible source.
"Kiplinger's readership," Brown said, "is decision makers of companies we're trying to recruit or retain here — business owners, CEOs, affluent individuals."
The publication wrote: "A hot business climate, cool amenities and cheap-and-easy living earn Omaha our top spot."
Frick, who led the Great Value City project for Kiplinger's, said the magazine narrowed the list of cities through statistical and other research and that reporters then visited 10 places. He himself came to Omaha June 5-7, speaking with people from all walks.
He said he saw a vibrant and cooperative entrepreneurial spirit. "I discovered a lot of that in Omaha, which kind of surprised me. It's there, it's growing and it's palpable."
Kiplinger's reporters returned to the nation's capital, each giving an unbiased presentation — they couldn't argue on behalf of a city. In the voting afterward, Omaha received mostly first- and second-place votes, and none lower than third.
In the article, Frick wrote that Omaha has revitalized itself, revamped its downtown and waterfront and created "economic room for a fresh generation of entrepreneurs, who had been fleeing Omaha like it was Egypt during the exodus."
Omaha still endures urban problems and hasn't reached the Promised Land. But if there was a parting of the Red Sea, a moment when things began to change, it may have occurred — ironically enough — in defeat.
In 1992, Omaha finished second to Spartanburg, S.C., in a competition for German automaker BMW's North American auto plant.
Brown, who came to Omaha eight years ago, said civic and business leaders have mentioned many times that coming so close in such a high-stakes race made it clear that Omaha should no longer underestimate itself.
The city invested more in economic development, he said, and a succession of positive steps have made the Omaha area much stronger.
More than $2 billion in public and private investment downtown and along the riverfront changed the city. A century-old smelting plant and a metal-recycling yard, both on the banks of the Missouri River, were removed.
The city built the Qwest Center Omaha convention center and arena, now known as CenturyLink Center Omaha — home to national events such as the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.
Also built downtown were the Holland Performing Arts Center and TD Ameritrade Park for the College World Series and other events. Creighton University expanded eastward. First National Bank and Union Pacific built new headquarters, among other private investment.
The chamber's Brown wryly referred to the metro's "overnight success — a remarkable time, 20 years in the making."
The Kiplinger's article, noting Omaha's "impressive economic momentum," mentioned Omaha's five Fortune 500 corporate headquarters and wealth created by native son Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Omaha is home to "arguably more millionaires per capita than any other U.S. metro area."
Omaha is affordable because of "really reasonable housing costs," Kiplinger's said, as well as free concerts such as Jazz on the Green and "the annual rock concert at Memorial Park."
"True, Omaha's architecture is kind of boxy and glitz-free, as suits Midwestern sensibilities," the article said. "That includes the Holland . arguably the centerpiece of the city's rich arts scene. But inside, the Holland is a sleek, acoustic marvel.
"And it's balanced by the ornate, circa-1920s Orpheum Theater just a few blocks away. Both are packed with everything from Broadway shows and ballet to zydeco, funk and jazz."
Kiplinger's said Omaha is also rich with entertainment away from its big venues — from community theaters to small clubs. The article mentioned the Slowdown music venue, the Old Market and the "world-class" zoo.
Chief among the city's problems, the article said, "is the area known as North Omaha." Many who lived there held jobs at meatpacking plants, which moved out in the 1960s and '70s, leaving high unemployment and a high crime rate.
Frick said by phone Monday that he is aware of efforts to improve academic achievement and to bring businesses to that area.
"People told me that is Omaha's Achilles' heel," Frick said. "If Omaha could fix north Omaha, if you guys solve that problem, Omaha could be almost mythical."
Behind Omaha in the Kiplinger's ranking, in order: Charlotte, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Lexington, Ky.; Little Rock, Ark.; Wichita, Kan.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Cincinnati.
Brown said rankings such as the No. 1 in Kiplinger's make it easier to break through to decision makers who know little about Omaha.
"But if you ask Omaha leaders why they invested in all these things, I'd venture to guess none would say it was to attract other people or businesses," Brown said. "All would say it's to improve the quality of life, and make this a better place for our own citizens."
Contact the writer:
402-444-1132, michael.kelly@owh.com
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