Investors Realty property management client The Capitol District is home to a Marriott Hotel, a 218-unit apartment building, office space, and 16 restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. How does a district that relies heavily on events, tourism, and in-person gatherings endure a global pandemic? We recently talked with members of The Capitol District team about their experience over the past 14 months and what they are looking forward to this summer.

How did The Capitol District fare with all the pivoting required in the last year?

We were fortunate at The Capitol District to have weathered the pandemic better than many other places. It was hard, but we worked with the restaurants and businesses here to manage through it as best we could. And a large part of that is thanks to the way The Capitol District is set up.

Our open-air plaza has allowed customers to feel safe in coming to The Capitol District, whether it was renting some of our cozy igloos during the chillier months or booking a corporate event, wedding, or other gathering in the plaza. We were able to allow people the opportunity to gather safely outdoors and, even as we emerge from the pandemic, a lot of people will continue to appreciate having that option. We anticipate holding many events in our plaza throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Those private and public events held here are a great complement to the larger-scale events, like the NCAA volleyball events earlier this spring, the College World Series, and the US Swim Trials.

City-wide events are coming back, and we are excited for the CWS, swim trials, and other events. What are you doing to prepare?

We’re thrilled about the College World Series, and the swim trials returning. Plans are being fine-tuned now not only to make sure fans have a safe experience here at The Capitol District, but also to ensure they have a great time. We love being able to offer guests a wide variety of cultural and culinary experiences – from fine dining to quick bites, a jazz club to a virtual reality arcade, live music and watch parties, and the Omaha Marriott Downtown at The Capitol District, which recently received the 2021 Omaha Metropolitan Area Tourism Award for Best Hotel.

Earlier this spring, the NCAA volleyball teams enjoyed private sessions in our igloos and the plaza. It was fun hosting and celebrating with them. During the College World Series, fans can watch games on our outdoor LED screen in the plaza and enjoy food and drinks from our restaurants. And we’ll have a lot going on to celebrate the swim trials, including music and other live entertainment in conjunction with USA Swimming. Stay tuned for more information on all of the events!

COVID-19 presented challenges and led to successes. What are some successes you can highlight?

COVID-19 forced us to get creative and we found ways to continue serving our customers and bringing people safely into our district. One of the most visible changes we made was to trade out the ice skating rink that had been in the plaza the last few winters for our private igloos. Guests could rent one of the heated, cozily-appointed six-person igloos, get special takeout food and drink deals from our bars and restaurants, and safely gather with others for a few hours. The igloos were incredibly popular and helped our restaurants and bars continue to serve customers through the worst of the pandemic.

We’re really proud, too, of the restaurants and other businesses in The Capitol District. They quickly pivoted to a takeout model and utilized the plaza to seat guests outdoors and distanced. The plaza also helped many people continue to hold events like corporate meetings and outdoor weddings throughout the summer and fall. We feel so fortunate to have that space and the special designation that comes with being an entertainment zone, allowing customers to take their food and drinks out into the plaza and safely gather.

For more information on The Capitol District, visit www.capitoldistrictomaha.com.

This article appeared in our company newsletter in June of 2021. Please click here to download the entire newsletter.