‘It's going to forever change Omaha for the better’ 

Omaha’s streetcar will provide a massive boost to the Omaha metro’s economy, its people and its future, says Heath Mello, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. In this Q&A, hear more from Mello on his thoughts about the project’s transformational impact.

In the big picture, what impact do you think the streetcar will have in the Omaha metro?

The modern streetcar can forever change the city's urban core, both in terms of creating a more dense and economically vibrant core, but also in creating a more livable, more transit-oriented space for people who live in the urban core as well as residents who visit the area — whether you live in west Omaha, whether you live in Sarpy County, whether you’re a visitor from out of town. 

It's been a long time coming, and it's exciting to have a project of this magnitude move forward. 

Why is it important to strengthen Omaha’s urban core, the midtown and downtown area? 

Omaha’s urban core is the heart of the city, and it's the heart of the region.

You have to have a strong heart to be able to build and grow the rest of the area, and that's what the urban core is. That’s why the streetcar is such an important aspect of the urban core: Its ability to help spur not just a considerable amount of new economic development, but also the ability for the Greater Omaha Chamber to recruit new companies to move to the urban core and help existing companies there expand. 

It’s also about helping move residents and visitors around midtown and downtown. You want to have a strong, vibrant heart made up of culture, made up of commerce, to truly have an environment that is going to help strengthen the rest of the region. It’s such an important part of the entire greater Omaha area. 

What are you hearing from local, regional and national business owners about the streetcar?

I've had engagements with out-of-town companies, out-of-town executives, visitors, keynote speakers and consultants who have come to Omaha — particularly downtown Omaha — who have acknowledged a couple of things. One, our downtown is significantly more vibrant than any downtown they've visited in the last year. That’s something that has stood out in terms of how well Omaha is doing. 

Then they hear Omaha is building a streetcar. The next thing that comes out of their mouth is: You have no idea what's coming in terms of how fast things are going to happen economically. Things are going so well in Omaha right now with what's happening with your downtown: people who go to restaurants, to events, people who are in your office space, people who are in your parks. When people are able to utilize a streetcar to move around downtown, you're going to have more visitors, you're going to have more people living downtown. The downtown area’s vibrancy has been such a catalyst already — wait until you get the streetcar. It's going to be such a massive boost. 

When the CHI Health Center was being discussed in the 1990s, people didn't think a downtown convention center and arena was going to be utilized that much. All you have to do is look at the success of the arena and convention center over the last 20 years, and the rapid expansion and growth of conventions, concerts, sporting events. That’s the exact kind of story and experience I think we're going to see with a streetcar.

How do you envision yourself using the streetcar when it's operational? 

It’s everything from being able to get to meetings, to the CHI Health Center, to Steelhouse Omaha, to restaurants. That’s the beauty of the streetcar: it’s going to take us all across the urban core. It's going to be an opportunity for me to park my car here at the chamber office and be able to walk a block, get on, take it where I need to go and then take it back to the office.

In a lot of other cities and metro areas, the ability to walk a couple blocks and be able to get where you need to go is life changing. The simple fact of being able to take the modern streetcar around for business, for social engagements, for entertainment or with my wife and kids is exciting.

It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I think as more people learn about the route, learn that it’s free to ride — similar to other big initiatives that have happened in the urban core over the last 20 years, I'm convinced it's going to forever change Omaha for the better.

Learn more about the Greater Omaha Chamber at omahachamber.org.