The hunt for gold starts in Omaha. The USA Swimming Board of Directors approved the selection of Omaha as host city for the fourth consecutive U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. “The CenturyLink Center Omaha venue, surrounding facilities, hotels and restaurants provide the ideal set-up for coaches and athletes from a competition perspective and also to showcase the sport to fans,” says USA Swimming Interim Chief Executive Officer Mike Unger. “Omaha has done a tremendous job welcoming our swimmers, coaches, fans and families with open arms.” The economic impact of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials was more than $74 million. The event also broke attendance records with nearly 200,000 spectators across 15 sold-out sessions during the 8-day event. |
Olympic Trials by the Numbers
• 4 – number of times Omaha will host U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming
• 1,800 – approximate number of athletes who competed in 2016 Trials
• 14,500 – session capacity for 2016 event, which sold out for all 15 sessions
• 100,000 – number of spectators who enjoyed the 2016 Aqua Zone
• 200,000 – attendance for the 2016 event, a new record that surpassed 2012 total by 30 percent
• 520,000 – number of spectators combined at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Trials at CenturyLink Center Omaha
• 36 million – number of viewers who watched NBC’s live coverage in 2016
Omaha is no amateur to sporting events. For more than 60 years Omaha has hosted the NCAA Men's College World Series, and will do so again this year. Also again, it will host the Triple Crown Sports Baseball Tournament with 500 competing baseball teams from around the country. The U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Curling will also be held in Omaha later this year. Next year’s sporting events include the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Sweet 16 and in 2020 the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Volleyball Championship as well as the first and second round of the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Championship.
Visit Omaha, also known as the Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau, is the official tourism authority for the City of Omaha.