CHI Health Center facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the arena in Omaha formerly known as CenturyLink Center. For the arena in Bossier City, Louisiana formerly known as CenturyLink Center, see Brookshire Grocery Arena.

Quick facts for kids CHI Health Center Omaha


Former names	Omaha Arena and Convention Center (planning/construction) Qwest Center Omaha (2003–11) CenturyLink Center Omaha (2011–18)
General information
Location	Downtown Omaha
Address	455 North 10th Street Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Coordinates	41°15′46″N 95°55′41″W / 41.26278°N 95.92806°W / 41.26278; -95.92806
Named for	CHI Health
Groundbreaking	March 1, 2001; 24 years ago (2001-03-01)
Opened	September 20, 2003; 22 years ago (2003-09-20)
Inaugurated	September 12, 2003; 22 years ago (2003-09-12)
Cost	$291 million ($463 million in 2022 dollars )
Owner	City of Omaha
Technical details
Size	1,118,300 square feet (103,890 m²)
Design and construction
Architecture firm	DLR Group
Structural engineer	Thornton-Tomasetti Group
Services engineer	M–E Engineers, Inc.
Main contractor	Kiewit Construction Co.
Other information
Seating capacity	18,320 (basketball) 17,100 (hockey) 18,975 (concert center-stage) 2,693 (Peter Kiewit Grand Ballroom)
Parking	4,500 spaces

The CHI Health Center Omaha is a huge building in Omaha, Nebraska. It's both an arena and a convention center. This means it has a big space for sports and concerts, plus many rooms for meetings and large events.

The Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA) runs the center. It has an arena with 18,975 seats, a large exhibition hall, and many meeting rooms. The arena is a popular spot for basketball and hockey games, professional wrestling events, and concerts. It also hosts the yearly meeting for a big company called Berkshire Hathaway.

The center first opened on September 20, 2003. It was originally called Qwest Center Omaha. Later, its name changed to CenturyLink Center Omaha in 2011. In 2018, a company called CHI Health bought the naming rights. So, on September 1, 2018, it became the CHI Health Center Omaha.

The main team that plays here is the Creighton University men's basketball team. The Omaha Mavericks men's ice hockey team also played here until 2015. They then moved to a new place called Baxter Arena.

History of the Center
- Planning and Building the Arena
- Changes and Updates Over Time
Exciting Events at the Center
What's Inside the Center
Names of the Center Over Time
Amazing Records and Big Crowds
- Basketball Records
- Hockey and Volleyball Records
Images for kids
See also

History of the Center

Planning and Building the Arena

People started talking about building a big convention center in downtown Omaha in 1993. After some earlier ideas didn't work out, the mayor announced plans for the Omaha Convention Center in 1997. Some people worried about the cost, but the idea moved forward.

In May 2000, people voted to approve the money needed to build the Omaha Convention Center-Arena. Construction began on March 1, 2001. Before it even opened, a company called Qwest Communications paid $14 million to have their name on the building. The Qwest Center officially opened its doors on September 20, 2003.

Changes and Updates Over Time

The center has been updated several times since it opened. In 2006, more seats were added to the arena, making space for 1,472 extra fans. This project also improved restrooms and food stands. It cost $6 million and was finished in September 2006.

Another renovation happened in 2009. This $6 million project updated the entire building. It included new carpet, wallpaper, fresh seating in the arena, and a brand-new scoreboard.

In 2011, the center's name changed to CenturyLink Center Omaha after Qwest merged with CenturyLink. Then, in 2018, CHI Health bought the naming rights for $23.5 million. This changed the name to CHI Health Center. Some people wondered about the new name, thinking it might sound like a hospital.

In 2021, the center hosted the Olympic Swim Trials, which are very important events. More recently, in November 2024, a plan was approved to expand and renovate the center again. This work started in early 2025 and will add another 90,000 square feet of space.

Exciting Events at the Center

NCAA Sports Tournaments

The arena has hosted many exciting NCAA men's basketball tournament games. These include first and second-round games in 2008, 2012, 2015, and 2024. It also hosted the "Sweet Sixteen" and "Elite Eight" games in 2018. The tournament was planned for 2020 but was cancelled.

The center is also a favorite spot for the NCAA women's volleyball final four. It hosted these championships in 2006, 2008, 2015, 2020, and 2022. In 2020, because of special circumstances, the entire volleyball tournament was held here. Twelve courts were set up in the convention center for practices and games.

The arena also hosted the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in 2010.

Olympic Swimming Trials

The CHI Health Center has hosted the USA Swimming Summer Olympics trials multiple times. These trials decide which swimmers will represent the U.S. in the Olympics. They happened here in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021.

The center doesn't have a permanent swimming pool. Instead, a team of 200 workers builds huge temporary pools in just two weeks! The Omaha Fire Department helps by pumping millions of gallons of water into them. Over 12,000 people watched the event each night in 2008.

After the trials, these special pools are taken apart. They are then moved to other cities to be used permanently. For example, the 2021 pool went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a new aquatic center.

Other Fun Events

The arena has hosted many other events, including WWE shows. It was home to the Judgment Day 2008 pay-per-view.

Omaha native Terence Crawford, a famous boxer, has defended his boxing titles here six times. He wanted to fight in front of his home crowd. His first championship fight at the arena in 2014 was the first in Nebraska since 1971.

Each February, the arena hosts the state wrestling championships for high school students. This tournament moved here in 2006. In 2016, the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions also visited the arena.

What's Inside the Center

Teams and Events
Creighton Bluejays	Big East	2003–present
River City Rodeo and Stock Show	KASB	2003–present
UNO Mavericks	NCHC	2003–2015
Nebraska State Wrestling Tournament	NSAA	2007–present
United States Olympic Trials	USA-S	2008–2021
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament	NCAA	2008, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2024
NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship		2008, 2020, 2022
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships		2010
Omaha Supernovas	PVF	2024–present

The Convention Center

The CHI Health Omaha Convention Center has been a popular spot for large meetings since 2003. It has three exhibit halls, four ballrooms, and more than 15 meeting rooms.

Exhibit Hall: This is a huge room that can be split into three smaller halls. Together, these rooms can hold over 1,000 booths or seat more than 16,000 guests for a conference.
Peter Kiewit Grand Ballroom: This is the biggest ballroom in the building. It's named after the founder of a company called Kiewit Corporation. It can be divided into smaller rooms and is used for graduations, fancy parties, and business meetings.
Junior Ballroom: This smaller, cozy space is perfect for private events. It's used for weddings, receptions, and parties for up to 1,000 guests.

The Arena

The CHI Health Center Arena is the busiest part of the complex. It was built in 2001 to replace older arenas in Omaha. It's the largest arena in Nebraska, with over 18,000 seats. It also has 32 fancy suites and many club seats. The arena hosts all kinds of shows, from concerts and family events to sports and rodeos. It opened on September 12, 2003, with a private concert.

Hilton Omaha Hotel

Right next to the center is the Hilton Omaha hotel. It has 600 guest rooms, 15 meeting rooms, and two ballrooms. There's also a restaurant and a skywalk that connects directly to the convention center. This hotel opened in April 2004.

Names of the Center Over Time

Qwest Center Omaha (September 20, 2003–July 14, 2011)
CenturyLink Center Omaha (July 15, 2011–August 31, 2018)
CHI Health Center Omaha (September 1, 2018–present)

Amazing Records and Big Crowds

Basketball Records

The CHI Health Center has seen some huge crowds for Creighton University basketball games.

Rank	Attendance	Opponent	Result	Date
1	18,964	Providence	W 88–73	March 8, 2014
2	18,859	Georgetown	W 76–63	January 25, 2014
3	18,831	Villanova	L 70–80	December 31, 2016
4	18,797	Villanova	W 101–80	February 16, 2014
5	18,759	Gonzaga	L 92-103	December 1, 2018
6	18,742	Seton Hall	W 72–71	February 23, 2014
7	18,735	Wichita State	L 68–89	February 11, 2012
8	18,613	Wichita State	W 91–79	March 2, 2013
9	18,571	DePaul	W 85-62	January 27, 2024
10	18,525	Marquette	W 67-49	December 31, 2013

The biggest crowd for a Creighton basketball game was 18,964 fans. This happened on March 8, 2014, when Creighton beat Providence.

Hockey and Volleyball Records

On January 13, 2012, a record 16,138 fans watched a hockey game here. It was between the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Minnesota-Duluth. This was the largest crowd ever for a hockey game in Nebraska.

The CHI Health Center also holds several NCAA attendance records for women's college volleyball. The three largest crowds ever for NCAA tournament volleyball matches happened here. On December 19, 2015, 17,561 fans watched the championship game between Nebraska and Texas. This broke a record set just two days earlier at the same venue.