[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6748047,"mediaKeyId","5606801-cc52ace4255eabd3ea120b433c92182d","parentId",5606801,"title","Bellevue unveils preliminary $195 million 2025'26 budget; bonds planned for capital including $30M water park allocation","audioSeconds",970,"startMs",1948000,"endMs",2918000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5606801-cc52ace4255eabd3ea120b433c92182d&start=1948&end=2918","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5606801-cc52ace4255eabd3ea120b433c92182d/thumbnail_1948000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6748047/Bellevue/Sarpy-County/Nebraska/Bellevue-unveils-preliminary-195-million-202526-budget-bonds-planned-for-capital-including-30M-water-park-allocation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6748047-9d4f86edb6cc0e1850b34541352e667f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771120612&Signature=jiaD9bWFmBy2DEJeSKa5HpAUVZ4YtMND7cHC3zSQvpKjQF9Sr3SeJzho9Vpinix5LKDvKyekSSqepOPc4c4KYeykPfnwWtu8Q37a-v6iJknVUJPq-gZrs3-WlcakLBmONg4C0H8PVSaLzSIrf8d9WlhUs--6BdY4-rcybzGsyZpDU-tq6RjFFlXfkK~ogHLuVo8hDgU~GnDKfh4~FvfOnBn9V0cOZcbE5-YghWbkAGRUHi5o30WTTy1zPaOYPFzihV2u08Tjs4c-FkFHcZOQeafOG6aFYNZp13cJD-T~zLkWRE-LLfGy-qaM-0mhMTWuvSOoh-oerKEFw8ci5F4cpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bellevue","date","2025-08-20T12:54:47.43Z","article","Rich Severson, Bellevue's finance director and treasurer, and Assistant Finance Director Jason Tortoff presented the city's preliminary 2025'26 budget to the City Council on Aug. 19, showing revenues and planned expenditures roughly in balance and identifying bond proceeds as the primary means to fund capital work, including the Bellevue Bay Waterpark.

Severson told the council the city expects to end the fiscal year with about $54 million in cash and projects $195 million in revenues against a $195.118 million expenditure budget for 2025'26. He said the city's S&P credit rating remains at AA+ and that careful departmental budgeting preserved cash reserves.

Capital plan and funding

Staff presented approximately $94 million in planned capital expenditures. The largest single item identified in the preliminary capital plan was $30 million for the Bellevue Bay Waterpark. Other major items included roughly $26 million in infrastructure improvements tied to the entertainment district, about $19 million in street projects, and about $9 million in wastewater lift-station and sewer improvements.

Severson and Tortoff said bond proceeds will fund most capital spending: staff showed that approximately 79% of the capital plan would be financed with bonds, roughly 13% from general-fund cash and the remainder from federal and state grants and cost-sharing programs (NDOT, FEMA, CDBG and similar sources were cited as potential partners).

Property taxes and statutory context

Staff noted changes discussed in the Legislature (identified in the presentation as LB34) and reviewed the 1996 statutory levy limit calculation that sets a 0.45 levy cap for non-bond authority. Severson said the city's preliminary calculations show a roughly 3.3% increase in the tax ask per the new legislative calculation, and the council set a preliminary tax request figure for publication and scheduled a joint public hearing Sept. 18 at Bellevue University and a second-reading/public hearing on Sept. 2 in council chambers.

Public comment and council response

Council members asked clarifying questions about the composition of the revenue forecast, the relative share of school and other taxing authorities on a typical tax bill, and the degree to which the entertainment district and other projects would relieve property-tax burdens over time. Assistant Finance Director Jason Tortoff reviewed general-fund and department-level allocations, including a statement that 51% of general-fund spending in the presentation was associated with the Bellevue Bay Waterpark in the current plan and that public works and public safety remain major general-fund obligations.

Next steps

Ordinance 4,192 (the annual appropriations bill) was read for first reading and scheduled for second reading and a public hearing on Sept. 2. Staff will post detailed budget documents on the city website and return to council with the formal public-record hearing and second reading required by statute.

Sources and attribution

The figures and quotations in this article come from the Aug. 19 budget presentation by Rich Severson and Jason Tortoff at the Bellevue City Council meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bellevue City Council August 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Rich Severson, Bellevue's finance director and treasurer, presented a preliminary 2025'26 budget Aug. 19 showing $195.118 million in planned expenditures, $54 million in projected cash reserves, and a capital program of about $94 million that includes a $30 million allocation for the Bellevue Bay Waterpark.","taxTitle","Bellevue, Sarpy County, Nebraska","taxId",3789,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6748052,"Bellevue pitches Bellevue Bay indoor water park as an economic engine, financed by Good Life District tax",1752,224000,1976000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5606801-cc52ace4255eabd3ea120b433c92182d&start=224&end=1976","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5606801-cc52ace4255eabd3ea120b433c92182d/thumbnail_224000.jpg","/articles/6748052/Bellevue/Sarpy-County/Nebraska/Bellevue-pitches-Bellevue-Bay-indoor-water-park-as-an-economic-engine-financed-by-Good-Life-District-tax","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6748052-55f319c4dbdeef2bb228ecdabaee4ec2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771120612&Signature=YEM68UG2GFCa1~YyU~eatTSdr4VrPPxTB3TQiIAVp7hmIKRKY8QTqzSV9tTMWCJ1DmjrPJ0~Hu8aBoKoYqdTXy~fNHZ9dhoWMFUwHA-JZ2UhKJMMgrXg3a8rER-vYq843LN13vjfp~-O~gfys6njtPzp9hjecjQAlZVZuO-JesZKVhRI9HtR0R6CS2HQiiM4vRnKaAeQz1zBowdlRGofQGd6itL-gu0P3VnxZdahPBaAbArkxATRjf5ncXFsngHNUGtKPePOvcPONGmncAiIbYx9eidoCdf21TSHjku2fGm88VCB8FXYlpIzUKGs1T-h2--xDB2FMzPUsyYHQMMZQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Harrison Johnson, Bellevue's economic development director, told the City Council on Aug. 19 that site work for the proposed Bellevue Bay indoor water park is under way and that the city plans to use a Good Life District occupation tax and bond proceeds to finance the first phase of the entertainment district.

Johnson said the city recently received a permit approval from the Nebraska Department of Transportation to remove a surcharge that allows compaction work for footings and foundations. He said pipeline relocation by Northern Natural Gas is also underway to align utility infrastructure with Tenth Street as part of the site work.

\"We recently got approval with the NDOT,\" Johnson said, pointing to progress on the basic site compaction and foundation work. He told council members the first 30-acre phase will include the water park, two hotels already under contract and two retail bays.

Why it matters: Johnson said the district is intended to broaden Bellevue's tax base and provide property tax relief over time by capturing visitor spending and commercial activity. He presented revenue estimates meant to show how the district would cover debt service and city services.

How it would be financed and what the city expects

Johnson said the city will use the Good Life District's occupation tax, a local occupation surcharge meant to replace part of the state sales-tax reduction, to help pay bonds and cover project debt. For Phase 1 (the 30-acre parcel and water park) he gave the following estimates: $5,570,000 in annual district revenue and roughly $2,400,000 in annual net revenue from the water park operation.

\"We estimate for phase 1, which includes the water park, 2 hotels which we already have secured, and then 2 retail based centers at $5,570,000 annually for just that phase 1 30 acre parcel and the water park is projected to get roughly $2,400,000 annually in net revenue,\" Johnson said.

Johnson told council members the $2.4 million figure is conservative because it came from a Hotel Leisure Associates study based on 2020 numbers; he said inflation since 2020 would likely raise the figure. He also described how retail revenue was estimated by using national retail sales-per-square-foot averages but applying a conservative $250-per-square-foot assumption.

Timeline, scale and regional reach

Johnson said the city hopes the first 30-acre area will be constructed and operational within about five years and that full build-out of later phases could take 10 to 15 years. He projected a 25-year macroeconomic contribution of roughly $9.3 billion in wages, salaries and benefits for the larger 200-acre concept.

Traffic, parking and prices

In response to council questions, Johnson said the city has completed a traffic study and plans traffic signalization off Highway 75 and along Tenth Street. He said initial Phase 1 parking will be roughly 500 stalls and that the water park's maximum capacity will be about 1,500 people at any one time; the two hotels will total about 300 rooms.

On pricing, Johnson offered current market comparables: a single-day family pass in today's dollars at comparable indoor parks runs about $55'$65; a summer season family pass he cited at about $350'$400 in today's dollars, with final prices to be set closer to opening and adjusted for market and inflation.

Questions and next steps

Council members pressed Johnson for conservative assumptions and traffic mitigation details; Johnson cited the Hotel Leisure Associates study and conservative retail assumptions as the bases for the projections. He said the city is evaluating whether to sell individual parcels to private developers or to contract with a master developer; the city currently owns roughly 70 acres of the land discussed and is preparing plats and bid materials.

No formal regulatory action on the water park occurred at this meeting. Johnson said the water park and related infrastructure appear in the preliminary capital plan presented later in the meeting and that bond proceeds are being considered as one funding source for capital work.

Sources and speakers

The presentation and quoted figures are drawn from the Aug. 19 staff presentation by Harrison Johnson and the question-and-answer exchange recorded in the council's public meeting.","Harrison Johnson, Bellevue's economic development director, told the City Council on Aug. 19 that site work for the proposed Bellevue Bay indoor water park is under way and that the city plans to use a Good Life District occupation tax and bond proceeds to finance the first phase of the entertainment district.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6748042,"Votes at a glance: Council approves Quail Crossing rezoning and a slate of grants, purchases and contracts",0,3544000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5606801-cc52ace4255eabd3ea120b433c92182d&start=3544&end=3544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5606801-cc52ace4255eabd3ea120b433c92182d/thumbnail_3544000.jpg","/articles/6748042/Bellevue/Sarpy-County/Nebraska/Votes-at-a-glance-Council-approves-Quail-Crossing-rezoning-and-a-slate-of-grants-purchases-and-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6748042-0a73725082e1c2b48946d51a064fdff2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771120612&Signature=lL64gonTgvjAGwrXev~zttMOoZ8rsjAsuF3eICAVAnNdDCPiwyGl~DT7rgII3RIbJtAEq-cprFOD~q~u~0nx7rdo~KGJv5bVb0X6PwZSp7LUZDMJdsyzdw7nDEF~QGXBwxdHVKFevv08BXjAWKCVncxOihiLLDV8g228BmZpKIMc2~Hw7rSCO0ZOStJy2QWIfV7fYtGNzfn6-nNBUinqMfH~Sce89~xiuWR1vr~P12Pi0TXH3FrBLBNjIUQ7KI7xN7lP6ddUedVNNhhmyXWByZwFH1KiBPAlsPgFqqONaKvAnzKI8J8AZxvQVREYheM4BJZ36THxFm7pn1HnVlytzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bellevue City Council on Aug. 19 took multiple formal actions across zoning, resolutions and procurement. Key outcomes and vote details are listed below; information is drawn from the council meeting minutes and on-the-record motions.

Rezoning and preliminary plat (Quail Crossing)

Ordinance 4,188 (rezoning request for Lots 1'7 and outlots A and B, Quail Crossing) was read and placed for a vote. Councilman Nelson Casey moved to approve; Councilman McCaw seconded. Councilwoman Welch said she would vote no, citing constituent opposition in Ward 3; the motion passed 5'yes, 1'no with Welch voting no.

Preliminary plat request (Item 11a1) for the same property was then moved by McCaw and seconded by Casey and approved by the same 5'1 margin (Welch voting no).

Budget and ordinances

Ordinance 4,192 (the annual appropriations bill adopting the 2025'26 budget) was read for first reading. The council set a public hearing and second reading for Sept. 2 and a joint public hearing for Sept. 18 at Bellevue University; no final vote on the ordinance was taken at this meeting.

Resolutions and grants

- Resolution 2025-16 (municipal annual certification of program compliance for 2025) was moved by Councilman Casey and approved by unanimous vote.
- Resolution 2025-17 (authorize grant application to Nebraska Game and Parks for the American Heroes Park Improvement Project) was opened for public hearing, saw no public speakers, was moved by Councilman Preister and seconded by Councilman McCaw, and passed on a unanimous vote.

Procurement, contracts and current-business approvals

The council approved multiple procurement and construction items during current business, including:
- Renewal of the employee wellness program with Lockton for FY2025-26, not to exceed $22,500 (motion by Preister; unanimous vote).
- Purchase of a 2025 Neri ECS 400 crack sealer from Rogue Builders Machinery & Supply under Sourcewell contract, not to exceed $81,500 (motion by Welch; unanimous vote).
- Purchase and installation of a new flagpole at Washington Park, not to exceed $15,489 (motion by Preister; unanimous vote).
- Notice to proceed with SAC Construction LLC for additional Old Town cured-in-place pipe rehabilitation, not to exceed $811,795.50 (motion by Preister; unanimous vote). Council discussion noted that this expands sewer rehabilitation in older parts of the city.

Other motions

Several routine motions and consent-agenda items carried by unanimous or near-unanimous votes, including approval of claims and the consent agenda. There were no closed-session items on the agenda and the council adjourned at the meeting's close.

Vote summary (named roll-call where available)

- Ordinance 4,188 (rezoning Quail Crossing): Motion by Nelson Casey; second by McCaw. Vote: Preister (yes), Casey (yes), Burns (yes), Collins (yes), McCaw (yes), Welch (no). Outcome: approved.
- Preliminary plat (11a1, Quail Crossing): Motion by McCaw; second by Casey. Vote: same as above. Outcome: approved.
- Resolution 2025-16 (municipal annual certification): Motion by Casey; unanimous yes. Outcome: approved.
- Resolution 2025-17 (Game & Parks grant application for American Heroes Park): Motion by Preister; second by McCaw; unanimous yes. Outcome: approved.
- Lockton employee wellness contract ($22,500): Motion by Preister; unanimous yes. Outcome: approved.
- Neri ECS 400 crack sealer purchase ($81,500): Motion by Welch; unanimous yes. Outcome: approved.
- Flagpole purchase (Washington Park) ($15,489): Motion by Preister; unanimous yes. Outcome: approved.
- SAC Construction notice to proceed (Old Town cured-in-place pipe rehabilitation) ($811,795.50): Motion by Preister; unanimous yes. Outcome: approved.

Sources and attribution

Motion texts, movers and seconds are taken from the Aug. 19 council meeting record and on-the-record staff presentations. Vote tallies are those announced on the record during the meeting.","At its Aug. 19 meeting Bellevue's City Council approved rezoning and preliminary plat for Quail Crossing, introduced the annual appropriations ordinance for first reading, and passed several resolutions and procurement items, including a grant application to Nebraska Game and Parks and a sewer rehabilitation contract.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bellevue unveils preliminary $195 million 2025'26 budget; bonds planned for capital including $30M water park allocation

Bellevue pitches Bellevue Bay indoor water park as an economic engine, financed by Good Life District tax

Votes at a glance: Council approves Quail Crossing rezoning and a slate of grants, purchases and contracts