The Omaha City Council heard presentations on a proposed city acquisition of property at 1101 Izzard and initial authorization for up to $25 million in stadium revenue bonds to support a mixed‑use redevelopment anchored by a proposed professional soccer stadium. City Law Department attorney Jennifer Taylor summarized the purchase terms and the planned 90‑day due diligence window, including surveying and environmental review, and said the $17 per square foot list price incorporates anticipated remediation costs.

Representatives from Downtown Soccer Stadium Inc. and developer teams described a conceptual district that would include a stadium, mixed‑use residential buildings with ground‑floor retail and support infrastructure. David Levy, counsel for project proponents, presented renderings and said the district concept could include a stadium footprint, approximately 6–10 acres of mixed‑use development and city‑controlled parcels to support required infrastructure including combined‑sewer overflow work. He said the developer is planning a district-scale vision that would generate new tax and lease revenues to service bonds.

Marco Fileriani of the mayor’s office told the council the acquisition would enable remediation, infrastructure coordination and a public‑private partnership intended to transform an underutilized industrial site into a new urban neighborhood ("This public acquisition makes it possible to assemble this property, coordinate infrastructure, remediate environmental issues," SEG 2359-2366). Proponents including Union Omaha supporters and fans emphasized local economic and cultural benefits; Hunter Fangmeier, president of a supporters group, said the project would place a community in the urban core and generate housing and commerce (SEG 2531-2579).

Council members pressed staff on financing structure, timelines and risk. Jennifer Taylor said the purchase price per parcel is set at $17 per square foot subject to final survey and that the city will use the 90‑day due diligence period to identify survey and environmental obligations (SEG 2602-2606). She said the $25 million in bonds under consideration would be revenue bonds, repaid from sales‑tax turnback revenues generated by new development and lease revenue, and would be nonrecourse to the city’s general fund (SEG 2905-2911). The council previously approved an application to the state for up to $25 million of sales‑tax turnback revenue over 20 years to support the project.

Opponents raised affordability concerns. Luis Jimenez said the city lacks mechanisms to require affordable units in large mixed‑use commercial projects and questioned whether the public benefit justifies public financing (SEG 2613-2624). Council members asked staff when the city would have survey and initial environmental results; staff said they expected survey information within 4–6 weeks after approval of the purchase agreement and that remediation exposure would be assessed and negotiated during due diligence (SEG 2790-2796, SEG 2799-2807).

Next steps: staff said the purchase agreement and bond authorization are preliminary steps required to proceed with state applications and development negotiations. Councilmembers indicated support for advancing the agreements to a future vote, and staff said further redevelopment agreements and project financing details will return in the coming months for council consideration.

Quote highlights from the hearing include: "This public acquisition makes it possible to assemble this property, coordinate infrastructure, remediate environmental issues," said Marco Fileriani of the mayor’s office (SEG 2359-2366). Jennifer Taylor said the purchase price is $17 per square foot and that the city will have time for due diligence and survey work in the next 90 days (SEG 2602-2606).