Omaha Business Park Lands First Tenant, 150 Jobs Coming

A business park project that faced community pushback and planning setbacks is now delivering on its promise to bring quality jobs to North Omaha.

Pacific Engineering Inc., a Nebraska-based manufacturer, will lease a 150,000-square-foot facility at the Omaha Airport Business Park. The company plans to create 150 jobs over the next five years with an average salary of $74,000, starting operations by year's end.

The announcement marks a major milestone for the $90 million state-funded initiative launched in 2022. The project aims to create employment opportunities in an area with some of Nebraska's highest unemployment and poverty rates.

PEI designs and manufactures lightweight composite systems for military defense and commercial uses. The new facility will be the company's third Nebraska location, joining existing sites in Roca and Omaha.

The business park's journey hasn't been smooth. Early plans sparked fierce opposition from neighbors at the initially proposed site, forcing developers to change course. The development team, led by the Omaha Economic Development Corp., eventually purchased multiple smaller sites instead of one large location.

In March, the team bought two properties for nearly $30 million, including the Abbott Drive site now home to PEI. Neither purchase required residential relocation, addressing earlier community concerns.

Michael Maroney, president of the Omaha Economic Development Corp., said the 15-year lease fulfills the park's core mission. "This will unlock private investment, create quality jobs and deliver real economic opportunity to North Omaha," he said.

The Ripple Effect

PEI's arrival signals more than just 150 new paychecks. The company's decision validates the business park model and shows other employers that North Omaha offers ready-to-go industrial space. Dexter Myers, PEI's senior vice president, noted the move "creates shared benefits for our business, the community and the local economy."

The development team says additional sites could still join the business park initiative. With the first tenant secured, the project transitions from controversial proposal to working reality, bringing manufacturing jobs to a community that needs them.

One company down, more opportunities ahead for North Omaha.