Because they hope to attract more meetings and events to Nebraska, Hilton Worldwide and the City of Omaha have partnered on a 15-month, $35 million expansion of the Hilton Omaha in downtown Omaha, Neb., they announced last week.
Scheduled to begin in late 2010 and conclude in early 2012, the expansion will give the hotel 150 new guest rooms, a second ballroom totaling 7,000 square feet and 100 new parking spaces.
Nebraska's only four-diamond hotel, the Hilton Omaha already is the state's largest hotel, with 450 rooms and over 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom and 15 breakout rooms.
"The Hilton Omaha has been the cornerstone of the city's commitment to providing both present and future economic development opportunities," Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle said in a statement. "The expansion of the hotel is another milestone as we continue our quest as a national convention and special events destination."
Added Hilton Senior Vice President of Western North American Operations Timothy Benolken, "Today's announcement of the Hilton Omaha's expansion is a reflection of Omaha's arrival as a world-class meetings and leisure destination."