LINCOLN- The city of Lincoln's hopes to build a convention center got a favorable boost following this past legislative session. LB732 will allow a portion of state sales tax revenue to fund builds such as the convention center. “Until you have some level of financing, you don’t have a project, you have an idea,” said Dan Marvin, Lincoln’s director of Urban Development. “I think we’ve moved from an idea to something that’s more than that because you have something that can pay for a portion of the building.”

The bill, introduced by Sen. Bostar, extends provisions originally included in the state’s convention center facility financing assistance act until 2030, allowing cities to use 70% of the state sales tax revenue collected by retailers within 600 yards of the convention center to pay for it. The bill was included in a large package of tax-related bills helping assure its passage in the 2023 legislature.

A convention center has been a priority of Lincolns for multiple years and was one of four priorities this year for Lincoln senators. Possible locations include the U.S. post office site, the former Journal Star site, the Midwest Steel site, the Telegraph district, and across the street from the Cornhusker Hotel. The location near The Cornhusker Marriott has gotten a lot of attention, but city officials say no decision has been made.

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