Most important thread: What is YOUR opionions of the city that I treasure (Omaha metro)?? (Columbus: houses)

[ehenningsen]

Originally Posted by airwing

Now I'm excited about returning to the Omaha area more than ever! It will be nice to have four seasons again instead of warm, hot, hot, and severely hot! Back in the 70's I was the nut who got excited at the first snow and enjoyed it all winter because I knew it was only for a few months. I love the coming of spring, green summers and orange fall. I remember the blue skies with white fluffy clouds. Southern California is mostly brown or gray haze. Very very crowded too. Gridlock at all hours on the freeways, not just the business hours anymore. The only decent place to live in Southern California is in the mountains, (which are crowded too) or at the beach (very expensive and crowded). Been there and done that and now ready to move on. Please post more pictures if you can. They are great! Do you have any of the Council Bluffs area?

airwing, you are going to be surprised about the difference in the weather from the time you lived here to now...

It used to get really cold for a long time in the winter and really hot in the summer for a long time, the last ten years the winters have got warmer and the summers have got cooler...

A few strange phenomena the last couple of years include that the longest the snow has stayed on the ground here in nebraska before it melts is about 3 weeks (not including the big piles at the malls), last year there was tornadoes in northern Kansas in January, thunderstorms in january here about 3 years ago, thundersnow basically on a yearly basis...

Just some interesting climate changes in this area the last ten years...

[dennismpat]

Originally Posted by airwing

I lived in Omaha in the 1970's when I was in my early twenties and loved it there. There was always something to do and it was a beautiful city. I am originally from southern California and am living there now but I'm selling my house and moving back to the Omaha-Council Bluffs area away from Mexican land and back to mid America. You sound like my 23 year old son. He went to London. England and lived there for 3 months while attending a semester of college there. He says that is the greatest city ever to live as it has something going on all the time and is full of history and free museums and street fairs with interesting people and performers plus lots of live plays and pubs, etc. It is also a short trip over to Europe. Maybe London is the place you are seeking.

That's too cool! You're from SoCal and moving to Omaha? If my life weren't so established here, I'd be doing the same. Says a lot about Omaha if someone from California wants to relocate there, doesn't it?

[kosnebbear]

One more thing is that there is a group of people looking into building a large amusement park somewhere between Omaha and Lincoln now. They are doing a study to see if it will work or not. Maybe in a few years they will begin building it. Nebraska in the east is moving forward all the time.

[schues]

Originally Posted by ehenningsen

airwing, you are going to be surprised about the difference in the weather from the time you lived here to now...

It used to get really cold for a long time in the winter and really hot in the summer for a long time, the last ten years the winters have got warmer and the summers have got cooler...

A few strange phenomena the last couple of years include that the longest the snow has stayed on the ground here in nebraska before it melts is about 3 weeks (not including the big piles at the malls), last year there was tornadoes in northern Kansas in January, thunderstorms in january here about 3 years ago, thundersnow basically on a yearly basis...

Just some interesting climate changes in this area the last ten years...

I have lived in Omaha my whole life (I'm 22 now and by the way, as a fellow "20-something," I don't share ANY of the opinions MattDen has about Omaha) and I HAVE noticed that it seems warmer in the winters now, usually. I definitely recall walking to school in a -50 degree windchill in elementary school, and it seems like it rarely gets that cold anymore. However, I don't think summer has gotten any cooler. I work outside all summer at camp and, believe me, it's just as hot as ever. Also, this is Nebraska--weather doesn't really have a "pattern." Every year is different. For example, you spoke too soon about snow not sticking around--there was snow on the ground and frigid temps this year more or less from New Years till March; just this week it's gone from 75 degrees to 20 degrees (in APRIL!). It's insane, but I actually enjoy the variety in weather...to a certain point, anyway.

[ehenningsen]

Mr Sues, the reason I say it is cooler in the summer is because I remember streaks of 90+ and 100+ degree weather that would far outstretch what we have now... that is what I'm referring too, more and more the weather in the summer is actually very tolerable, sometimes it gets hot still or with alot of humidity, but overall I have seen it get more tolerable than 10 years ago and further back...

[rpontillo]

i was born and raised in Omaha...been too many places in the USA and abroad...Omaha is Ok at best ...one the most complacent..routinely boring cities around...now has it changed?..yes..more people..than say 10-15 years ago...but come on it has a long way to go too even come to the stature of a chicago..or even a Kansas City...they are light years ahead of Omaha...as far as a vibrant city..here is a little tip for those who are thinking of moving here...check your sources ...dont read the Omaha World Herald ..when getting your info on Omaha..they will talk it up like its some major Metro area...

[DTO Luv]

I'd be interested to hear where you lived in Omaha? I've been around to and Omaha can hold it's own. Chicago? No but KC can't even compare to Chicago. Omaha can go against KC and most other cities in the country.

[ehenningsen]

There have been so many changes since you left!! And most for the better..
So many new things, themes, jobs, attractions, Omaha probably has about 10times more things to do now than when you left, I'll include some:

UIFL Arena football
$300 million dollar convention center/arena with all the big names coming, ranked #8 in the world in concert ticket sales in 2005 (2006 data not out yet)and top performances like Blue Man Group and Cirque du Suleai (not sure of the spelling) Hairspray.. etc...
new $90 Million dollar Performing Arts Center
2 4* hotels built
3 casinos, including one massive casino called the horshoe formerly known as
bluffs run
AHL Hockey
Top NCAA tournament events several times a year
Complete new riverfront with marina's
Cabela's, Bass Pro, and now Camping World is building here
Top named restaurants built here including the likes of Cheesecake Factory, Kona Grill, Upstream etc..
More major Henry Doorly Zoo Expansions and announcements
Dave and Busters, Inplay, Amazing Pizza Machine
IMAX 3D Theater
Jewish Community Center Art Gallery
Lauritzen Gardens expansions
Lewis & Clark Landing
MAny daily events http://www.ketv.com/intheo/index.html
Aquatic centers, ice skating, skateboarding parks, Many golf courses #1 in the nation per capita with the PGA tour Cox Classic, raceways, Football complexes, baseball complexes, Lacross leagues etc..
Many more happenings http://www.visitomaha.com/Happenings.aspx?t=EVENT&dts=4/13/2007&sn=visitors&evo=true (broken link)
Proposed Theme Resort/Amusement Park between Omaha/Lincoln
Many renovated buildings downtown
A new 44-story National HQ's First National Bank
A 1,000,000SQ 19 story UP HEadquarters
A 32 story Condo Tower (demolition stage, will be up in next couple years)
A major tenant founded for a rumored (Hal Daub-ex Omaha mayor rumored it)
40 story tower for dowtown
The second longest $22million dollar pedestrian bridge currently being built
A new, and very popular Label started called "Saddle Creek Records" featuring many popular indie bands (Omaha is well known for)
Lincoln has a proposed $250million dollar arena and $100million dollar convention center 15-20 story tower proposed along with another 18 and 22 story towers proposed and all three likely to be built.

I'm bored and you get the idea, Im just posting new things, not stuff that already was here since you left...

[ehenningsen]

I want to add....

since you left...
Omaha has also added another 16 story condo tower and will break ground on another, is going to be breaking ground on three 12 story towers on 80th and dodge, the two major research hospitals have several new towers of their own... Omaha borders now stretch past 204th street since the annexation of Elkhorn, many shopping centers since you left, I dont know when you left... Omaha/Lincoln is growing now an average of about 13,000 people every year... close to 8,000 houses a year are built in the area...
After annexing Elkhorn and other areas, Omaha should reach 430,000 for the city proper...
If you check an earlier thread, Omaha is rated the 30th best place to have fun in america

[Cordor]

Could be global warming? A rumor is going around by scientists that its all mans fault.