Early Christmas Present

 

You could say the University of Nebraska at Omaha got an early Christmas present in December 1980. A big present.

 

It came in the form of the Peter Kiewit Conference Center, which on the second day of that December officially opened its doors. Not, of course, without some prior political haggling.

 

Ten years earlier, a report called the “Regents Commission on the Urban University in the ‘70s” stated that UNO should develop programs which would benefit Omaha, including an Institute for Public and Community Affairs. Part of this mission meant building an off-campus class site.

 

But where, and how would such an ambitious undertaking be financed.

 

In stepped successful businessman Peter Kiewit, who offered $2.5 million for the project. Other business leaders jointly pledged the same amount, leaving the state to foot the remaining half of the $10 million price tag.

 

Then-governor Charlie Thone, however, would only support a combined UNO education-state office building. Once the university agreed to that, it had its new Peter Kiewit Conference Center.