‘College Town’ Built Up Around College of Saint Mary

When College of Saint Mary was constructed near 72nd and Center streets in 1955, it was surrounded by farm fields, a few houses to the north and the Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack and Coliseum to the east.

Today, CSM’s 50-acre campus in the heart of Omaha is part of Aksarben Village, a bustling hub of retail and entertainment and Baxter Arena.

Built in 1919, the Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack hosted elite horse racing for more than 75 years. At its peak in the mid-1980s, it was 10th in the nation in racetrack attendance, with more than 20,000 on weekends.

The coliseum, built in 1929, was the premiere ice rink and concert arena in Omaha for more than 70 years. Popular acts ranging from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley to Nirvana to Garth Brooks performed to sold-out crowds. The arena was also home to the Omaha Knights, a minor league hockey team, the Omaha Lancers, and the Omaha Racers, a CBA basketball team. The Sisters of Mercy hosted their centennial celebration in the arena, too.

The grounds and arena were also home to the Douglas County Fair and Expo and the River City Roundup.

But just a decade after its record season in 1985, horse racing ended at Ak-Sar-Ben. The opening of casinos and dog track racing in Council Bluffs, IA, caused a downturn in attendance at the Omaha track. The arena closed in 2002.

In 1996, First Data Resources purchased the northern section Ak-Sar-Ben from Douglas County and donated 70 acres to the University of Nebraska. First Data opened its information technology center in 1998. The University of Nebraska opened the Peter Kiewit Information Science, Technology and Engineering Institute the following year.

Demolition of the grandstands and other buildings at Ak-Sar-Ben began in October 2004. According to an article in the April 9, 2004, Omaha World-Herald, there were no specific plans for development on the site northwest of 63rd and Center streets. Ken Stinson, board chairman of the Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust, which owned the property, said the trust “has definitely been stepping up the process” of finding a new use for the site and is discussing “a couple of different options. Officials announced plans for a residential, commercial and retail development called Aksarben Village in 2005.

In February 2007, the Omaha City Council approved a plan to create a “college town” where the famed racetrack once stood. The $200 million project included apartments, townhouses, a retail, fitness center and loft office building, and a four-building complex for retail, restaurants and offices with parking. Two months later, a movie theater and a hotel were added to the plans.

Ground was officially broken in October 2007. The first business in Aksarben Village opened in 2008.

Today, Aksarben Village is a popular destination for CSM students. Restaurants offer sushi, steaks and made-from-scratch entrees. Aksarben Cinema shows the latest movie releases. Stinson Park offers a variety of entertainment, including live music, festivals and the Sunday Farmers Market.