2013 US Figure Skating Championships Omaha - Information for Visitors

[TanithandBenFan]

Has anyone gotten their Omaha tickets yet?

It's funny you asked that because I just went outside to get the mail about ten minutes ago and was thinking, "I haven't gotten my Nats tickets yet."

[toddlj]

The website says in their FAQ that the all-event and weekend package tickets won't come until 4-6 weeks prior (which is still a couple more weeks away.)

[CoyoteChris]

If anyone gets their ticket package, I would appreciate knowing about it. Wish they would send them "signature required". I have the post office from HXXX and even though I have a post office box, the employees cant seem to figure out how to get the mail in the right box at times....just the other day they put a card in another box telling me that I had a package....

[numbers123]

Sorry it has taken me so long to add on to this thread. Coyote Chris asked: What do you think about Spencer's? I’ve never eaten there, but believe that my niece has and she says it is mouth-watering.

To the north of the Century Link Arena is Rick’s Café Boatyard. Rick’s Café Boatyard has two locations Indianapolis, Indiana and Omaha, Nebraska, so I consider it one of the unique Omaha restaurants. Their description: Rick’s Café Boatyard provides USDA Prime Steaks, but also mixes in coastal flare with fresh seafood. As one of few seafood restaurants in the Midwest Rick’s brings fresh ocean fish to Omaha almost daily. The menu: http://rickscafeboatyard.com/menu-omaha.html We like to go to Rick’s in the summer when we can sit out on the patio watching the river and people walking along the riverfront.

To the west of the Century Link Arena are several sports bar type of restaurants (within 3 - 10 blocks): D.J. Dugouts, etc.
An Omaha favorite is Old Mattress Factory which is in a building that was originally constructed in 1883, this beautiful brick building was the Stabrie Grocery Store which served the residents in this neighborhood north of Downtown Omaha, in 1945 was converted to a business that built, sold and shipped mattresses, hence the name Old Mattress Factory . The building is on National Registry of Historic Places. Menu: http://www.themattomaha.com/media/fi...gular-Menu.pdf

Lo Solo Mio is nestled in a neighborhood area – address is 3001 S. 32nd Ave. The parking is very limited and is not on a bus route. Taxi cab fare from Century Link Arena to the restaurant is estimated to be between $7 – 10, including a gratuity. Hours for Lunch: Mon - Sat 11 AM - 4 PM and Dinner: Mon – Thursday 4 pm – 9 pm, Fri-Sat 4 pm – 10 pm. Although the hours are limited, the food is great, I try to eat here once a year. The dinner menu: http://www.losolemio.com/docs/LosSol...Menu_NOV12.pdf

Midtown Crossings is located approximately 2.5 miles to the West of the Century Link. The cab fare is approximately $7 – 10, including gratuity. It is on a major bus route. Several restaurants are located in this area, including chains such as Craves and Cantina Laredo. At least two Omaha “grown” restaurants are located in this area.

Gray Plume describes itself as a seasonally-driven, contemporary cuisine from locally-grown produce and livestock. The life-cycle of food begins even before the seed and should always end with an emotional connection. Understanding the journey to the plate evokes a deeper appreciation and respect for the meals we share. We seek to inspire and elevate the way Omaha thinks about food through culinary excellence, the promotion of local foods and growers, and a commitment to community. The Grey Plume is the first Green Restaurant Association 4-Star Sustainabuild™ restaurant in the country and has accumulated more points than any other Certified Green Restaurant. Clayton Chapman is the Owner/Chef and is the nephew of a good friend of mine. The menu will vary due to the availability of produce/livestock: http://greyplume.com/menu/tgp_dinner_menu.pdf

Another Omaha favorite that is located in Midtown Crossing is Delice European Bakery and Café. I know many people who enjoy a cup of coffee and one of their delicious pastries. Menu link: http://deliceeuropeanbakery.com/menu...u-Desserts.pdf

BRIX is schedule to open in January 2013. It has been delayed from an October opening to a December opening to now January, we will see. Brix is an Omaha original, not a chain and does have another location in West Omaha (168th and Dodge). They combine three businesses under the same roof. A retail, wine tasting, and restaurant experience. Their description: Taste from 56 wines served by the ounce or by the glass through the most innovative wine dispensing system in the world, the Wineemotion Wine Serving System. We also offer one of Omaha’s largest martini menus, 20 specialty craft beers on draft, and freshly-prepared lunch and dinner menus by Executive Chef Erik Rickard. I have heard good things about BRIX – I am anxious to use the gift card we have. You will find links to their lunch, dinner and after dinner menus on this web page: http://www.brixomaha.com/wine-lounge/

[numbers123]

Aksarben Village, located at 67th and Center, has several restaurants including PrincessLeppard and my favorite Cupcake place . It is located on land that once was the horse racing park. Again the estimated taxi fare is $10-12. It is located on a bus route, but you would need to do several transfers.

Jones Bros. Cupcakes has been featured on Cupcake Wars and is a family owned business. Their primary focus of course is cupcakes, but they do offer a café menu of salads and sandwiches. Their menu has the “everyday” cupcakes – the ones you can get every day and the special day cupcakes – ones that are only made on that day (Sun, Mon, etc.). Cupcake menu: http://www.jonesbroscupcakes.com/cupcakes/. In addition, they have a cupcake of the day – the first 90 or so people who come in and ask for the cupcake by name gets one free. I belong to their Facebook page and get updates. Occasionally I get there before they are all claimed. Princess and I have been known to get 2 at a time, but you have to forgo any other caloric intake for the day and possibly the next. taf found this list - which has Jones Bros. on the top of the list.

There are several Omaha grown restaurants in this village area, but I have not eaten at them, so cannot give any feedback. The Aksarben Village website http://www.aksarbenvillage.com/food-...t/default.aspx

Others:
Bohemian Cafe is located 1406 S. 13th Street – about 1.5 miles to the south of the Arena – serves authentic Czech food. Bohemian Café has been featured in Bon Appetite magazine. As a family owned business, they choose to have limited hours and close at 8 pm Mon-Thurs, and close at 10 pm Fri-Sat. I know that many who visit Omaha during the College World Series make this a place to stop. I personally have never eaten so not able to give you any other information. Menu: http://www.bohemiancafe.net/menu.htm

El Aguila Mexican Restaurant is located at 1837 Vinton St. It is affordable generous Mexican food, but the thing that I like best is their Margaritas - 12 oz., 32 oz., and 60 oz. The 32 oz. is about the maximum that I can drink! You definitely need a party to drink the 60 oz. one. There is not a link to their menu. I would recommend a taxi, even tho it would be a short ride, as it is somewhat difficult to find walking. They are open 11 am – 10 pm daily.

[numbers123]

Or in place of taxi rides, most of the hotel shuttles will take you there.

Of course there are many other restaurants, if there is something that you are looking for I am sure that your hotel staff will you find what you are looking for. Again, I want to tell you that I am basing most descriptions on personal experience and/or my friends/family. I don't want any business to say I haven't been fair to them - I either didn't mention them because they are chain or I don't know about them or have had experiences with them. If you see something on a website - I can try to find out about them.

[CoyoteChris]

Good work. Ricks CAfe Boatyard and the Mattress factory are labled on google as a watering holes, but you correctly labled them as eateries that are close to the arena and excellent places to catch a meal....I will put them on my list . It would be nice if we all had two hours for dinner each night, but it is my opinon that many nats event schedules dont give a fan that much time....we shall see. Thanks for your input. .

Or in place of taxi rides, most of the hotel shuttles will take you there.

Of course there are many other restaurants, if there is something that you are looking for I am sure that your hotel staff will you find what you are looking for. Again, I want to tell you that I am basing most descriptions on personal experience and/or my friends/family. I don't want any business to say I haven't been fair to them - I either didn't mention them because they are chain or I don't know about them or have had experiences with them. If you see something on a website - I can try to find out about them.

[numbers123]

My nephew goes to almost all the Creighton home basketball games - which are played in the Century Link arena. I asked him a few questions regarding the arena itself.

Temperature: in the arena and if there is a variation in the arena seating: he has never really noticed a temp variation other than comfortable. I would assume if there were an ice skating event it would be colder than normal, but he was not certain. I know when I was there during the swimming Olympic Trials, the temperature was comfortable = but that was during the summer.

Food in the arena: If the concession stands are anything like the basketball games there is a good variety of the typical arena foods: burgers, hot dogs, pizza, chicken fingers and gyros. IIRC, they have Pepsi products rather than Coke Cola.

Beer: they have a beer selection there too which he assumes is always is available since they have it available during things like Sesame Street live.

Hope all of this helps

[Carolla5501]

My nephew goes to almost all the Creighton home basketball games - which are played in the Century Link arena. I asked him a few questions regarding the arena itself.

Beer: they have a beer selection there too which he assumes is always is available since they have it available during things like Sesame Street live.

Hope all of this helps

Having been to things like Sesame Street Live, you need the beer! (As of course do Figure Skating fans LOL!)

Thanks!

[CoyoteChris]

The trouble with beer is, you cant buy it, you can only rent it....
Two hour events are handled much different than 90 hour events by the arena folk. One never knows till one gets there how many concessions will be open, at what time and on what day. Most will probably be open for the last three days....At San Jose Nats, it was "Bring in all the food you want cause we aint opening up much till later in the week..." Temps should be fairly stable although during the Free skates, they might be a bit higher.

My nephew goes to almost all the Creighton home basketball games - which are played in the Century Link arena. I asked him a few questions regarding the arena itself.

Temperature: in the arena and if there is a variation in the arena seating: he has never really noticed a temp variation other than comfortable. I would assume if there were an ice skating event it would be colder than normal, but he was not certain. I know when I was there during the swimming Olympic Trials, the temperature was comfortable = but that was during the summer.

Food in the arena: If the concession stands are anything like the basketball games there is a good variety of the typical arena foods: burgers, hot dogs, pizza, chicken fingers and gyros. IIRC, they have Pepsi products rather than Coke Cola.

Beer: they have a beer selection there too which he assumes is always is available since they have it available during things like Sesame Street live.

Hope all of this helps

[numbers123]

You are about the two hour events vs. a week long event and how they are handled by arena staff.

I only attended a couple of the Olympic Swim Trials events and therefore can't give you the intense experience that one has with nationals, but it was a week long event and Omaha hosted them in both 2008 and 2012 in the Century Link arena. They might have prepared the arena staff for a similar week long event - only time will tell.

I hoping that I haven't oversold Omaha, but I sincerely hope that everyone has a very positive experience!

[CoyoteChris]

I think Omaha will be fine. IMHO, the cities that do their homework and , either by accident or design, meet the fan's needs, are the ones I lobby for getting back. I am glad we are going back to Greensboro as they did a great job and they cared about us.
St. Paul will be fine, also. I wont go into Cleveland as my blood pressure needs to stay down.....deep breaths...deep breaths.....

[Carolla5501]

I honestly have never had a problem at any of them, but I tend to be fairly low maintenace and don't let the "arena" staff bother me. I liked Cleveland because I like places where I can stay in the hotel, get to the arena easily and not go outside in the cold (I no longer even bother going to practice arenas etc... hassle isn't worth the work)

[PrincessLeppard]

I am trying to find out if Midtown Crossing is running a shuttle to the Century Link Center, because then people could just ride that up and eat some delicious food at Ingredient, which is my personal favorite. (I live within walking distance of Midtown Crossing). Delice has delicious pastries and good coffee, and there is also a Starbucks in the Mutual of Omaha building, and there is one downtown as well. (15th and Douglas)

I am also willing to shuttle people to Jones Bros. for cupcakes, but the Death Banana will only hold three. Four if everyone is small.

[numbers123]

I honestly have never had a problem at any of them, but I tend to be fairly low maintenace and don't let the "arena" staff bother me. I liked Cleveland because I like places where I can stay in the hotel, get to the arena easily and not go outside in the cold (I no longer even bother going to practice arenas etc... hassle isn't worth the work)

Practice will be in the Century Link Convention Center just a walk down the hall so to speak.

[Carolla5501]

Practice will be in the Century Link Convention Center just a walk down the hall so to speak.

Probably still won't go much. I think I went for about an hour total in Greensboro. Didn't have All Event tickets last year and didn't miss "practice" and since I don't have all event tickets this year it's only an option if it's 'open to the public' but honestly I would rather take the downtime to eat/explore etc....(except for dance where they try to outshine each other in "practice outfits" LOL!)

[toddlj]

I got an email today that my tickets would be mailed sometime between 12/27 and 1/4. Yay!

[CoyoteChris]

You must have obtained a room in the main event hotel at Cleveland. My main complaints about Cleveland were the basketball pitch of the arena and the fact that during the novice ladies short we were all thrown out of the judges side of the arena and told to sit on the opposite side, and they weren't nice about it. Security came over to us the next day and appologized for their mistake......when we asked when the concessions would be openned up, we were told, "Hey, those people have day jobs." It would have been better to just say that we had to walk the quarter mile to the food court and back and that we could bring in all the food and drink we wanted, which I dont know if that was allowed.

I honestly have never had a problem at any of them, but I tend to be fairly low maintenace and don't let the "arena" staff bother me. I liked Cleveland because I like places where I can stay in the hotel, get to the arena easily and not go outside in the cold (I no longer even bother going to practice arenas etc... hassle isn't worth the work)

[Carolla5501]

You must have obtained a room in the main event hotel at Cleveland. My main complaints about Cleveland were the basketball pitch of the arena and the fact that during the novice ladies short we were all thrown out of the judges side of the arena and told to sit on the opposite side, and they weren't nice about it. Security came over to us the next day and appologized for their mistake......when we asked when the concessions would be openned up, we were told, "Hey, those people have day jobs." It would have been better to just say that we had to walk the quarter mile to the food court and back and that we could bring in all the food and drink we wanted, which I dont know if that was allowed.

None of that would have upset me. I decided long ago just to "go with the flow" at these events and getting upset over the arena rules was not worth the hassle. It wouldn't do anything but raise my blood pressure LOL!

[CoyoteChris]

Hey, did you know you could pay some money through PayPal and have access to the Kiss and Kry??? Shizam! Actually, I am more like you....I willingly got up out of my seat and did what security said. Went over to the other side of the arena and watched security go from person to person. Many put up a fight. I felt sorry for the skaters on the ice....I took some pics of the fights for my records....you are correct...why make a scene and raise your blood pressure? At San Jose, some of the seating and railing was configured oddly and the only way to get out of my section was to walk past a row of people, even though I was on an "aisle" . After a few days, two people refused to let others pass them to get to the aisle. Instead of getting security or join the shouting matches, I just hopped some seats and railings....

None of that would have upset me. I decided long ago just to "go with the flow" at these events and getting upset over the arena rules was not worth the hassle. It wouldn't do anything but raise my blood pressure LOL!