THE SUBURBAN LANDSCAPE
The Other “Big O”:
O ffutt A i r F o r ce B ase
u.s. a ir force / jos h p l ueger
You may know that Offutt Air Force Base is the other “Big O” south of Omaha near Bellevue. But do you know the impact of the installation – both in terms of economics and personnel – on Greater Omaha? Lynda Shafer, manager of leadership development for the Greater Omaha Chamber, conducts seminars for new senior-level business leaders and their spouses to introduce them to the community. Among the topics are history, education, geography and health services. She concludes the seminar with a look at Offutt and the mission of the United States Strategic Command, known as USSTRATCOM. Most civilians hear about the base during its annual air show, but what should we know otherwise? “First of all, the economic impact,” Shafer said. “It’s not in the thousands or millions of dollars. It’s in the
billions of dollars with payroll and ancillary services, contractors and defense industries. It’s astonishing.” Offutt’s 2011 Economic Impact Analysis reports its military and civilian payrolls at
more than $607 million, with construction, service contracts and other federal expenditures generating another $981 million. When adding indirect jobs valued at $186 million, the total economic impact averages more than $2 billion annually. This past year has seen $35.5 million in new construction, including a new building for the U.S. Navy Reserve, upgrades to the base clinic and a new gate at the south entrance of Offutt. That work pales in comparison, however, to the new S t rat C om headquarters, an estimated $524.4 million project that will update and replace the current 55-year-old structure. One of Omaha’s Fortune 500 Continues on page 66 65