Few thought Omaha, NE could be any more synonymous with Saddle Creek Records. However, now that the label has received the greenlight for an ambitious new project, it seems the Creekers are poised for total scene domination. In a deal with the city of Omaha and Bluestone Development, Saddle Creek has proposed a $10 million+ project to erect buildings in downtown Omaha, including a rock concert hall/bar called Slowdown (named after Slowdown Virginia, an early Saddle Creek band that featured Tim Kasher), a pizza shop, a theater run by a non-profit cinema showing indie/foreign films, and additional retail space and residential areas. The new space is set to be built in an envisioned "fun zone" in Omaha's dilapidated north downtown area, as the drawing projects.
Right about now, non-Omahans must be thinking, "Great, whatever. If I ever find myself in that shithole of a town, perhaps I'll swing by Slowdown. Moving along. Where's TMT's story about Wolf Eyes today?" It's true that Slowdown could perhaps prove to be a convenient stop for tourists (or any unfortunates who find themselves stuck in town for a wedding or something). In the past, big-eyed college freshmen (usually from South Dakota) have come to Omaha hoping to "see" the Omaha "scene," only to find that there was nothing to really see -- no central meeting point for hip kids, few well-publicized shows, no good shops or theaters. For this situation, Slowdown could be just the fix, amalgamating the tasks of locales like the Sokol Auditorium, the Brother's Lounge, and the Dundee Theater. However, some townies balk at the idea of Saddle Creek, which already embodies the sound and image of Omaha, now also holding partial responsibility for our beer, shows, and movies.
Robb Nansel and Jason Kulbel, who run Saddle Creek, tried to get approval for Slowdown last fall at a different location. The previously proposed land would have garnered a street address on the actual thoroughfare for which the label was named, Saddle Creek Road (if you want the full backstory on how the label started, consult any issue of SPIN from the last two years). However, that plan would have also put Slowdown right in the middle of a residential area. This of course pissed off a bunch of old ladies who in turn appeared on the news losing their shit over the alleged litter, alcohol-induced violence, and drug use that the venue would bring onto their turf. Clearly, they had never met a Bright Eyes fan. So anyway, the plans were scrapped and the Creekers began looking at other property.
With this new downtown location, Slowdown will be smack-dab in an area that has been the subject of a fervent revitalization effort. This means that immediately after construction is finished, it will be amongst the scenic abandoned buildings and rat-infested lagoons of urban decay, but within a few years it will be surrounded by Yuppie lofts and coffee shops. The Slowdown is expected to open June 2006.
