Steelhouse Music Venue Omaha, Nebraska HQ building, US Arts institution community entertainment

Steelhouse Music Venue in Omaha

post updated February 8, 2026

May 16, 2023

Design: Ennead Architects

Location: Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Photos by Aislinn Weidele, courtesy of Ennead Architects

Steelhouse Music Venue, Nebraska

Ennead Architects Celebrates Opening of New Music Venue Steelhouse Omaha Drawing inspiration from Omaha’s industrial roots, the new
Steelhouse venue embodies the vibrant energy and spirit of its growing cultural scene.

Largest Arts Institution in Nebraska expands to increase the community’s entertainment offerings

Designed by Ennead Architects, the all-new Steelhouse Omaha live performance venue opened on Friday 19th May 2023, putting the city’s arts and cultural hub on the tour route, and opening up new cultural experiences for the growing arts community in the 2nd tier city

Previously lacking a comparable midsize venue in the area, Steelhouse will be the city’s biggest and latest development in its growing cultural scene. Filling the gap in Omaha’s music scene, Steelhouse will attract artists who are currently bypassing Omaha en route to Kansas City, Des Moines and Denver, among other Midwestern hotspots.

The opening aims to amplify Omaha’s cultural scene and urban core by attracting young concert-goers, partnering with LiveNation as its exclusive promoter and hosting famous rock band The Killers for the first performance. Steelhouse is projected to attract over 155,000 people annually and generate $13 million in annual economic impact.

Paying homage to the area’s industrial roots, Ennead created a dark charcoal, aluminum-clad building that creates a reflective luminous exterior. The sawtooth rhythm of the design references the site’s history of manufacturing, bringing a more industrial feel to a space now dedicated to a new kind of “making”– creating music and providing a space for local artists and community groups to convene.

Steelhouse will feature a performance hall with a standing room occupancy of up to 3,000, which is preferred by many in-demand artists. The venue will offer multiple amenities, including a lounge and terrace, outdoor courtyard, and lobby for simultaneous use and programming while emphasizing flexibility to accommodate the differing needs of touring performers, arts organizations, and future users.

Architecture: Ennead Architects – https://www.ennead.com/