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Scenes from final day of U.S. Swim Trials
Omaha could again be a city that hosts Olympic competitors.
The Omaha Sports Commission and the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority plan to make a bid to bring the 2024 men’s and women’s gymnastics trials to Omaha.
If delegated to Omaha, the event would represent the return of a major Olympic qualifier to the city following USA Swimming’s decision to hold the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Indianapolis. That decision was a blow to Omaha, which hosted the last four Swim Trials.
“We at the Omaha Sports Commission will continue to put ourselves in the position to ideally host events that better the city of Omaha,” said Kyle Peterson, chair of the Omaha Sports Commission.
Omaha’s proposal will compete with a bid from the St. Louis Sports Commission, which hosted a record crowd of 20,815 on the final night of the 2021 gymnastics trials, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
St. Louis also hosted the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for men’s gymnastics, the 2016 U.S. Women’s National Championships and the 2000 and 2012 U.S. Championships for men’s and women’s gymnastics.
It’s unclear if any other cities have thrown in their hat to host in 2024. A decision is expected in early 2023.
Omaha has its own track record for turning Olympic trials into blockbuster events.
Attendance records for the Omaha trials were set in 2008, 2012 and 2016 before pandemic restrictions not only postponed the 2020 trials by one year, but also limited capacity to 63% at the Wave I and Wave II Trials in June 2021.
Even at limited capacity, the 12 days of competition brought an attendance that exceeded 122,000.
A report produced by the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau found that Waves I and II in 2021 brought $34.5 million in economic impact to the city and state over the more than two-week period.
Omaha’s CHI Health Center, which hosted the Swim Trials, offers a few amenities that set it apart from other venues, said Kristyna Engdahl, a MECA spokesperson.
The CHI Health Center has a capacity of more than 18,000, and an attached convention center. It’s also close to the airport and several hotels, Engdahl noted.
“I think we’ve demonstrated here through both our operations and continuous crop of great volunteers who show up to make these events possible, that Omaha and the CHI Health Center could be a really good fit for an event of this caliber,” Engdahl said.
Since 2003, the Omaha Sports Commission has worked to recruit and promote amateur sporting events in Omaha. Much of the commission’s time had been focused on the Olympic Swim Trials, which grew into a major sporting and tourism event, since its induction.
The commission has had an economic impact of $373 million since 2008, according to the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Nebraska's Trey Palmer (3) celebrates with teammates after his touchdown during their game on Friday in Piscataway.
Nebraska's Casey Thompson (11) warms up ahead of the Nebraska vs. Rutgers football game in Piscataway on Friday.
Nebraska's Ty Robinson (99) celebrates a sack of Indiana's Connor Bazelak (9) in the Indiana vs. Nebraska football game in Lincoln on Saturday. Nebraska won the game 35-21.
Nebraska's Nick Henrich tackles Indiana's Javon Swinton during their game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Nebraska's Anthony Grant fumbles the ball which was recovered by Nebraska's Brody Belt during the second half of their game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Nebraska's Luke Reimer intercepts the ball after tackling Indiana's Javon Swinton during the second half of their game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Nebraska's Nick Henrich tackles Indiana's Donaven McCulley during the second half of their game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Nebraska's Luke Reimer and Grant Tagge celebrate after Reimer broke up a pass to get a stop during the second half of their game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Nebraska's Nick Henrich celebrates after tackling Indiana's Donaven McCulley during the second half of their game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Nebraska's Chubba Purdy (6) is brought down by Indiana's Louis Moore (20) and Cam Jones (4) in the Indiana vs. Nebraska football game in Lincoln on Saturday. Purdy fumbled the ball, and it was recovered for a touchdown by Indiana.
Nebraska's Marques Buford Jr., left, tackles Indiana's Andison Coby after he had a four-yard reception in the second quarter on Saturday.
Mila Friedman, 4, is tossed in the air and caught by her dad, Sebastian Friedman, of Lincoln, while tailgating ahead of the Indiana vs. Nebraska football game in Lincoln on Saturday.
Gretna's Cameron Bothwell (99) smiles with teammates after his game-winning field goal in the Bellevue West vs. Gretna football game at Gretna High School on Friday. Gretna won the game 40-37.
From left: triplets Morgan, Maddie and Megan Moore wait for customers at Corn Crib Coffee on Thursday.
People hold their phones to get photos of the first plane to land at Offutt Air Force Base, a TC-135 following an 18-month runway reconstruction that cost more than $200 million on Friday, September 30, 2022.
Lt. Col. Ryan Davis brings his new son, Beckett, to see the new runway at Offutt Air Force Base on Friday.
jwade@owh.com, 402-444-1067
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Jessica covers city issues for The World-Herald, including public parks, transportation, Omaha City Council and the Mayor's Office. Follow her on Twitter @Jess_Wade_OWH. Phone: 402-444-1067
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The Omaha nonprofit that helped build the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials into a blockbuster occasion is confident an event of that size can be brought to or shaped by Omaha again.
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