OMAHA, NE (CelebrityAccess) — Omaha Performing Arts announced plans to construct a new live music venue in downtown Omaha to attract performers who are currently skipping the market for want of a place to play.

The new venue, which is expected to be completed by 2023, will be located on a plot of land spanning Dodge Street to Capitol Avenue between 11th and 12th streets. Funding for the project, which is estimated to cost $109 million, is still being sought with hopes of having the venue opened by 2023.

The flexible venue will feature a standing audience of 1,500 to 3,000, and be open to national touring artists as well as local arts organizations.

“There are a number of up and coming bands, solo performers and artists who are not making a tour stop in Omaha because of the lack of a music venue to meet their unique needs,” said O-pa President Joan Squires. “We believe the Live Music Venue will significantly improve music opportunities available in Omaha, especially for the key audience demographic of 21 to 45 years old. This proposed O-pa campus expansion provides an excellent fit with the renovations underway along the Riverfront, and will further enhance Omaha’s downtown entryway.”

“The addition of this music venue and its flexibility will also provide new opportunities for local artists and arts organizations,” O-pa Board Chairman John Gottschalk said. “Our board and leadership team is dedicated to providing vibrant arts and entertainment experiences in Omaha and the region. We have held initial conversations with our arts partners and local organizations and are excited about what this could mean to the future of our community.”

Omaha Performing Arts currently oversees the operation of the historic Orpheum Theatre in the market.

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