Gene Leahy Mall | Omaha

Gene Leahy Mall is the vibrant centerpiece of downtown Omaha’s newly revitalized RiverFront, a sweeping urban park that blends art, water, and community life across 40 beautifully landscaped acres. Stretching from 13th Street to the Missouri River, it’s where Omaha’s old city core meets its contemporary identity-an open-air living room surrounded by skyline views, playful design, and public art that invites people to linger.

History and Transformation
Originally constructed in the 1970s, Gene Leahy Mall was once a sunken park with a lagoon, bridges, and meandering paths below street level. It served as a pleasant retreat, though over time it began to show its age. Between 2019 and 2022, the park underwent a complete transformation as part of the $325 million RiverFront redevelopment project, turning it into a modern, accessible, and multifunctional space that seamlessly connects downtown with the riverfront and nearby attractions like Heartland of America Park and Lewis & Clark Landing.

Design and Layout
The redesigned park reimagines the landscape while honoring its original contours. The old lagoon area was filled and reshaped into rolling lawns and event spaces, surrounded by native plants, shaded groves, and stone terraces. Pathways of granite and limestone weave through open meadows, while wide stairways and elevators ensure easy access from the bustling streets above.

The atmosphere is bright and airy, with a rhythm of water, greenery, and architectural geometry-fountains glisten under the Nebraska sun, while curving benches and modern pavilions create inviting gathering spots.

Key Features and Attractions

The Arches Playground – A sculptural, state-of-the-art playground featuring towering climbing nets, slides, and sensory areas designed for children of all ages. Its abstract design mirrors Omaha’s skyline and gives a playful nod to the park’s bridge-like structures.

Performance Pavilion – A large open-air stage hosting live music, theater, movie nights, and community festivals. On summer evenings, the grassy amphitheater fills with locals spread across blankets, the skyline glowing softly behind the stage.

Sculpture Garden and Water Features – Modern art installations sit beside reflective pools and small cascades that cool the air and add gentle sound. The sculptures-sleek steel, bronze, and stone-reflect Omaha’s growing art culture and pair beautifully with the park’s minimalist landscape.

Dog Park – A well-designed, fenced area where pets can run freely; it’s one of the most popular spots during morning and evening hours.

Event Plaza and Food Vendors – The central plaza offers shaded seating, coffee kiosks, and occasional pop-up food stands serving everything from local ice cream to gourmet sandwiches.

Atmosphere and Visitor Experience
During the day, Gene Leahy Mall hums with movement. Office workers walk through during lunch breaks, families spread out picnic blankets, and kids race from fountains to climbing towers. The soundscape is lively but not chaotic-water trickles, laughter carries across the lawns, and the occasional saxophone player adds an unplanned soundtrack.

Evenings are particularly striking. The park’s lighting design-soft gold along paths, cool blue uplights on trees, and subtle glows around fountains-creates a calm urban glow that reflects beautifully on the polished surfaces of nearby buildings. It feels modern but intimate, like a place made for both celebration and quiet moments.

Connectivity and Nearby Attractions
Gene Leahy Mall anchors the western edge of the RiverFront, linking directly eastward to Heartland of America Park and Lewis & Clark Landing through landscaped pedestrian trails. To the west, it opens into Omaha’s Old Market District, where cobblestone streets, boutique shops, and historic warehouses provide a contrast of old and new.

Events and Community Role
Since its reopening, the park has become Omaha’s central gathering ground for cultural life-hosting concerts, outdoor yoga classes, seasonal markets, and holiday festivals. During winter, it transforms with festive lighting and themed decorations, drawing large crowds for the city’s annual tree lighting ceremony.

Overall Impression
Gene Leahy Mall embodies the evolution of Omaha’s downtown from a business district into a vibrant social hub. It’s a place where the city breathes-where families meet after work, friends gather on lawns, and the community celebrates everything from summer sunsets to art and music. The park captures that rare urban balance: dynamic yet serene, modern yet deeply local, and always inviting you to stay just a little longer.