MECA

What MECA does

MECA (Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, that builds, owns, and operates three premier public event venues under a 99-year Lease and Development Agreement with the City of Omaha executed on August 25, 2000. Its portfolio comprises CHI Health Center Omaha (a 1.1-million-square-foot convention center and 18,300-seat arena opened in 2003), Charles Schwab Field Omaha (a 24,000-seat baseball stadium opened in 2011 that hosts the NCAA Division I Men's College World Series and Creighton Bluejays baseball), and The RiverFront (a 72-acre urban park along the Missouri River completed in August 2023). Across the first 11 years of CHI Health Center's operation (2003–2011), the venues generated nearly $5 billion in cumulative economic benefit for Omaha, with city proceeds exceeding related bond debt such that taxpayers have not borne operational costs.

Revenue is generated through ticket sales (via Ticketmaster, box office, and phone), facility rentals, naming rights agreements (with CHI Health and Charles Schwab), catering commissions (Levy Restaurants is the exclusive caterer), concessions, and parking. MECA serves four primary customer segments: event attendees and the general public; collegiate athletics organizations (NCAA, Big Ten, Big East, Creighton University); convention and trade show organizers (194,000 sq ft exhibition hall, 63,000+ sq ft of meeting space); and entertainment performers and touring acts. The RiverFront extends the addressable market to community and civic organizations with year-round public programming. MECA outsources non-core functions to a stable of contracted service partners including Levy (catering), INSPIRE (audiovisual), ATS (cleaning), ABM (facility solutions), AIT Worldwide Logistics (trade show handling), and St. Moritz (security), and is governed by a five-person Board of Directors appointed by Omaha's Mayor and City Council. The organization is currently undergoing a leadership transition, with Adam J. Straight announced as the next President and CEO on November 18, 2025, succeeding Roger Dixon.

Name

MECA

Legal name

Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority

Website

https://omahameca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MECA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Omaha, Nebraska, that operates three premier public event venues (CHI Health Center Omaha, Charles Schwab Field Omaha, and The RiverFront) under a 99-year public-private partnership with the City of Omaha, serving event attendees, collegiate athletics, conventions, and touring entertainment acts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Event Venue Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports & Arena Event Venues (Stadiums, Arenas) (THAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

Keywords

• Public event venue management
• Convention center operations
• Arena and stadium management
• Urban park operations
• Public-private venue partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Venue Operations and Event Hosting: MECA generates revenue through ticket sales, facility rentals, naming rights, catering commissions, and parking at its three venues (CHI Health Center Omaha, Charles Schwab Field Omaha, The RiverFront). The organization also earns from naming rights, event concessions, and venue bookings for concerts, conventions, sports, and community events.
2. Naming Rights and Sponsorship: MECA earns revenue through naming rights agreements with corporate sponsors such as CHI Health Center (CHI Health) and Charles Schwab Field Omaha (Charles Schwab). Additional corporate sponsors support various venues and events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MECA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that builds, operates, and manages three premier public event venues in Omaha, Nebraska. Its core offering is the operation of CHI Health Center Omaha (a 1.1 million sq ft convention center and arena), Charles Schwab Field Omaha (a 24,000-seat baseball stadium), and The RiverFront (a 72-acre urban park), along with associated event hosting services spanning sports tournaments, concerts, conventions, trade shows, and community programming.

Product overview

MECA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that manages a portfolio of three premier public event venues in Omaha, Nebraska. The core offerings include: (1) Charles Schwab Field Omaha, a 24,000-seat baseball stadium hosting the NCAA Men's College World Series; (2) CHI Health Center Omaha, a 1.1-million-square-foot convention center and 18,300-seat arena; and (3) The RiverFront, a 72-acre urban park along the Missouri River. These venues are supported by contracted service partners including Levy Catering (exclusive food services), INSPIRE (audiovisual support), ATS (cleaning), AIT Worldwide Logistics (trade show handling), ABM (facility solutions), and St. Moritz (security). MECA was established on August 25, 2000 through a 99-year agreement with the City of Omaha and operates as a public-private partnership model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Charles Schwab Field Omaha A 24,000-seat baseball stadium in north downtown Omaha that hosts the NCAA Division I Men's College World Series annually and serves as home field for the Creighton Bluejays Baseball team. Features include luxury suites, exclusive club seating, and a 360-degree walk-around concourse with panoramic field views. Available for rental by collegiate sports organizations, conference tournaments, and other event organizers.
• CHI Health Center Omaha A 1.1 million sq ft convention center and arena featuring a 194,000 sq ft exhibition hall, over 63,000 sq ft of meeting space, and an 18,300-seat arena that serves as home court for the Creighton University men's basketball program. Connected by skywalk to the Hilton Omaha. Available for concerts, conventions, trade shows, sporting events, and corporate events.
• The RiverFront A 72-acre urban park along the Missouri River in downtown Omaha uniting Gene Leahy Mall, Heartland of America Park, and Lewis & Clark Landing. Features include Skate Ribbon, Urban Beach, destination playgrounds, and Performance Pavilion. Fully ADA-accessible space managed by MECA. Used for community events, festivals, and public programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• CHI Health Center generated nearly $5 billion in economic benefit for Omaha in its first 11 years (2003–2011), with city proceeds exceeding the cost of related bond debt.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and flagship.

• Levy Catering Services (Levy Restaurants)coreOthersLevy Restaurants is the exclusive caterer for CHI Health Center Omaha and Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Founded in Chicago in 1978, Levy is a renowned dining company recognized with prestigious James Beard and Ivy Awards, and named by Fast Company as one of the 'Top 10 Most Innovative Companies.' Levy transforms the culinary experience at major sports and entertainment venues nationwide.
• INSPIRE Audiovisual SupportcoreTechnology or IntegrationINSPIRE is the preferred audiovisual provider for CHI Health Center Omaha and Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Since 1986, INSPIRE has delivered comprehensive audiovisual services to clients across North America, helping clients engage audiences and effectively communicate messages with brand consistency.
• ATS Cleaning ServicessupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerATS provides comprehensive cleaning services for both CHI Health Center Omaha and Charles Schwab Field Omaha. ATS handles office space maintenance and large-scale event cleanups, ensuring safe, clean, secure, and healthy environments at all times using its resources, experience, and expertise.
• AIT Worldwide LogisticssupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAIT Worldwide Logistics is the preferred trade show and convention handling service for CHI Health Center Omaha. Based in Omaha, AIT is a multi-faceted logistics and transportation provider specializing in supply chain management, supporting both domestic and global logistics needs for conventions and trade shows.
• ABM Facility SolutionssupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerABM is a leading provider of facility solutions generating approximately $5.5 billion in revenue with over 130,000 employees across more than 350 offices in the U.S. and internationally. ABM offers janitorial, electrical, energy solutions, facilities engineering, HVAC, landscaping, mission-critical services, and parking for MECA venues.
• St. Moritz Security ServicessupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSt. Moritz Security Services has been delivering reliable security solutions across the Midwest for more than 35 years. The company leverages strategically placed, integrated services to achieve high-quality security results while ensuring exceptional value for clients at MECA venues.
• City of OmahaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMECA operates under a 99-year Lease and Development Agreement with the City of Omaha, established August 25, 2000. The City contributed $216 million in public funding for CHI Health Center Omaha and $50 million toward The RiverFront development. The public-private partnership structure is the foundation of MECA's operations and exclusive venue management rights.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Los Angeles Convention Center: The Los Angeles Convention Center is operated by a municipal authority and hosts large conventions, trade shows, and events. It is comparable in convention-center-and-public-event-venue focus, though serving a much larger market than Omaha.
• Greater Columbus Convention Center: The Greater Columbus Convention Center is a Midwestern convention complex operated by a public authority, comparable to CHI Health Center in scale and event programming mix. It serves a similar-sized regional market and competes for convention show rotations.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation Entertainment: Live Nation is the world's largest live entertainment company, operating/ticketing concert venues and promoting tours globally. It is a broader incumbent whose venue arm and concert promotion business overlap directly with CHI Health Center's arena programming.
• Madison Square Garden Entertainment: MSG Entertainment owns and operates Madison Square Garden and other iconic arenas, holding naming rights and operating large-scale event venues. While it sits in the largest-market tier, its operating model for arena events is a reference point for MECA.
• AEG Facilities (Anschutz Entertainment Group): AEG operates a global portfolio of arenas, stadiums, theaters, and convention centers, including Crypto.com Arena and the O2. It is broader than MECA in scope but operates the same types of arenas and event venues on a much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Legends Hospitality: Legends Hospitality (which acquired Spectra Venue Management) provides venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship services for stadiums, arenas, and convention centers. It competes directly with MECA for high-profile venue management and premium hospitality contracts.
• Oak View Group: Oak View Group is a venue development, consulting, and management firm that develops and operates arenas, convention centers, and entertainment districts. Its full-stack venue model closely mirrors MECA's role operating a portfolio of sports and event venues.
• ASM Global: ASM Global is the largest venue management company in the world, operating hundreds of convention centers, arenas, stadiums, and theaters on behalf of public and private owners. It is the closest commercial analogue to MECA's public-private venue management model.
• Houston First Corporation: Houston First is a local government corporation that operates Houston's convention, arts, and entertainment facilities, including the George R. Brown Convention Center and theater district. It shares MECA's public-authority venue-management mandate.
• Kentucky State Fair Board / Kentucky Venues: Kentucky Venues is a quasi-governmental authority that operates a portfolio of arenas, convention facilities, and fairgrounds. It mirrors MECA's structure as a public-authority operator of multiple regional event venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mecaomaha
• Facebookfacebook.com/omahameca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/omahameca

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MECA