Building Campaign

Join us in our efforts to build the word’s first economic engagement campus.

There are two sides to The Start Center: the education side and the resource side. Our vision to build an economic engagement campus represents that resource side. Education is a vital component to achieving economic sustainability in urban communities. However, without necessary resources this is not possible. That’s why we’ve done the work and the research that led to the vision of the Economic Engagement Campus (EEC). This model is simple: encourage small business and enrich the quality of life in urban communities while addressing systemic economic conditions that create thriving communities.

At the EEC, we will focus on helping families and communities achieve critical economic goals. This will include financial education and wealth empowerment, as well as free access to resources such as wifi and a business library. There will also be complementary use of shared work space open to the community and aspiring entrepreneurs. The EEC will create an environment and atmosphere that encourages entrepreneurship and big thinking. Small businesses will have access to state of the art office space as well as resource partners in the community who will have satellite offices at the EEC. Our resource partners will help us create a resource pathway for up-and-coming business owners or current entrepreneurs looking to gain access to other opportunities. This resource pathway is a strategic component to the EEC.

Overall, The Start Center’s EEC aims to foster creativity and collaboration amongst economically-driven organizations. By harnessing the power of each organization and partnering together we can build the economic sustainability our communities need.

Shopping Center

Strategic Businesses in the Shopping Center will include:

Entertainment
Restaurants and eateries
Music and electronics
Shoe and clothing stores
Agencies/services
Bank/financial services

Our focus is to enrich and empower communities with small enterprise and long-term sustainability.

Start Center Engagement Campus

The Start Center Engagement Campus will be Omaha’s first fully functional and operating entrepreneurial engagement center that focuses primarily only building up small and startup business by providing free and low cost office space, shared or co- working, free Wi-Fi, business services, and more.

The focus of this engagement center is to strengthen our efforts to provide the best resources and training to build North Omaha’s entrepreneurial eco system.

The Start Center Engagement Campus will include:

Free state of the art technology and resources
Use of a free lounge with free wi-fi and seating area
Low cost and affordable shared working space
Research center for strategy, innovation and global wealth creation
Incubator services
Conference, meeting and strategy rooms.

Strategic Highlights

Build a strategic business/shopping center that provides retail space for Start Center entrepreneurs to operate and serve clients
Providing businesses with retail space will strengthen the overall impact of our programs and position small minority business to succeed
The shopping center will also provide substantial entertainment and attraction that will help tackle some of the migration issues in North Omaha
The shopping center can provide hundreds of millions of dollars back into the local economy of North Omaha, which sustains it long term
The shopping center stands the potential to produce hundreds of jobs as well help increase the overall employment rate
Targets the $150 million + in spending leaving North Omaha each year
Will help raise the extremely low African American, ethnic minority business percentage of only 7% in Omaha
For every 100 individuals directly employed at a U.S. regional shopping center, an additional 20 to 30 jobs are supported in the community due to multiplier effects.
250,000-500,000 sq. ft. and approximate project cost: $100-200 million

Strategic Rationale/Trends

(Alexander Babbage, Inc., based on U.S. shopping centers 300,000 square feet or larger USA; Global; North America)

In the United States, there are over 12 million shopping-center jobs, which account for 9.3% of the nation’s workforce.
In 2010, females, who make up two thirds of all U.S. mall shoppers, spent nearly 10 more minutes in the mall per visit in 2010 than men.
U.S. shopping-center retail sales total more than $2.26 trillion, accounting for over half of all retail sales
For every 100 individuals directly employed at a U.S. regional shopping center, an additional 20 to 30 jobs are supported in the community due to multiplier effects.
In 2010, about 48% of all U.S. sales at regional and super-regional malls took place in apparel stores.
Buying power in North Omaha alone is $750 million dollars
North Omaha spends over $15 million on shoes annually alone