Monopoly, but make it Nebraska 🧐

Happy Friday Ledgers,

Welcome back to warm(er) weather. While the beginning of the week made us want to cry, we’re finally through what could be the last leg of fake spring. The reward for our suffering? A new album from Beyoncé that will have you in the mood to put on your cowboy hat and grab an ice-cold beer. 🤠

In this week’s issue:

• Omahopoly: Monocle man lands in Nebraska.

• Bussin: Updated designs released for a new transportation center.

• What To Do: Bingo, big trucks, and Easter Sunday funday.

• Sportz: Organized athletics, yeehaw.

• Neighborhood Watch: Who built this? Can we be friends?

To everyone new to TLL this week, welcome to the party. To everyone that has been holding it down, I appreciate you. 🫶

P.S. We’re still working on our surprise from last week. More to come. 🤝

- Landon

Last Week’s Poll Results:
Will Troy bring us back to sporting glory?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🤷‍♀️ Idk, it's Nebraska sports... (50%)
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👍 Yes. Get the champagne ready! (23%)
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👎 No way. We need more than an AD. (27%)

OMAHOPOLY

Monopoly man set to land in Nebraska.

The monocle man who taught us to embrace our inner capitalist and find joy in crushing our family members' hopes and dreams is set to land in the good life. Monopoly Omaha Edition will feature local landmarks, restaurants, and businesses across the city.

Here's your chance to weigh in… The game developers are actively taking suggestions on what should be added to the game. Have an idea? Send it along to [email protected].

Localized Monopoly = marketing gold
Omaha is not the first city to have an edition of Monopoly, and it likely won’t be the last. With 30 city locations to date, spanning from the Hamptons to Cleveland, the game company has found a great way to build awareness for the Monopoly brand, as well as drive new sales on what would normally be a one-and-done purchase for consumers.

BUSSIN

Lincoln Transportation & Utilities unveils preliminary designs for transportation center.

Preliminary designs for a new multi-modal transportation center in downtown Lincoln were unveiled this week. The proposed location at 10th and “H” Street will feature improved amenities for StarTran riders, accommodate more buses, and host other forms of transportation, such as city bikes and Uber, to help you get to and from the center more easily.

What’s driving the demand?… According to the LTU site, there are several primary drivers for the creation of a new transportation center including:

• A lack of bays… The current bus center only has six bus bays, half the number relative to the bus lines running at any given time. This reportedly can cause rider delays.

• No ability to expand… The current bus center at 11th and “N” Street is landlocked and unable to expand beyond its current footprint.

• Lack of amenities… The current bus transfer station lacks amenities such as restrooms, shelters, and indoor waiting areas during cold Nebraska winters.

• Alternative transportation options are limited… This includes bike shares, scooter rentals, rideshares, or future bus services.

🔢 By the numbers... While rider data was absent from LTU messaging on the updated station, there is plenty of research to support the investment in bus stations. For example, improving bus service through network redesigns, increased frequency, better amenities like shelters, and accessibility increased ridership in several cities like Seattle, Houston, and Austin.

📌 Why it matters… High-quality, affordable public transportation can help drive economic equality within a city. Furthermore, when done right, public transportation can be a point of pride for a community and attract new residents.

WHAT TO DO

Bingo, monster trucks, and Easter Sunday funday.

Easter weekend is here in all of its spring glory. The weather will be in the 60s, but it will be a bit breezy. It should be great for egg hunts with the kiddos or an adult egg hunt with friends.

• 🎰 Bingo night (but for real).
  There is a reason bingo has been a go-to for people since the 1500s. Tonight, we’re letting our grandmotherly instincts take over & embracing this community classic. We’re playing bingo at Kinkaider to kick off the weekend. And don’t you dare think about cheating, punk.
  MORE INFO

• 👹 Big truck, do big jump.

  On Saturday, we’re letting our inner child out and going to watch monster trucks drive in circles at PBA. Let the petrol-filled air permeate your bloodstream. Soak in the sounds of the engines. Embrace your inner child & don’t be afraid to shout “wow, that’s a big truck!” Extra points for driving to & from the show in your eco-friendly sedan.
  GET TICKETS

• 🐇 Easter Sunday funday. 

  Whether we celebrate Easter or not, we’ll have some people over to our home. Make some snacks, drink a little wine, and enjoy a nice conversation to end the week. Try making this viral carrot cake recipe to impress your guests.

SPORTZ

A roundup of sports headlines.

• 🏐 Volleyball: Omaha will host the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May.

• 🛼 Roller Derby: No Coast Roller Derby hosts their home opener in Lincoln on Saturday at 5:00 pm. Get tickets.

• 🥇 Olympics: Dylan Travis of Omaha will play for Team USA in 3×3 basketball alongside Jimmer Fredette in the upcoming Paris Olympics

• 🏉 Football: Spring football practice kicked off for the Huskers.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

12788 W Roca Rd, Lincoln, NE 68512

Who built this? And can we be friends?

We set off this week searching for a cute old house to renovate. But, when the Zillow gods provide, we must pay our respects. And boy, did they deliver. 🙏

Situated 15 minutes outside Lincoln, this home is essentially a Nebraskan take on resort living; 32 acres of land, two homes on the premises, an indoor pool, and an 11-acre lake that will serve as your playground. The main house is a Californian-inspired, mid-century modern home with three bedrooms and 7,000 square feet to spread out. The second home (yes, you read that right) is a guest boat house with a wrap-around deck to take in the views of your private lake.

With two homes on the property, you’ll have a choice: Do I take the main house and all the space that comes with it? Or do I take the boat house for my own and AirBnB the main house to cover at least the electric bill for this Goliath?

❤️ KEEP: The pond, the boat house and its circular layout (technical term), the cave basement, the sauna, and the indoor pool. Also, keep the golf course and resort vibe.

🗑️ TOSS: The property tax, the heating and electrical costs, and the maintenance man (we’ll call him Steve) who keeps brushing the rocks into the grass when he mows even after we politely asked him to stop. 💇‍♂️

The Details:

• 3 beds, 7 baths

• 10,000 sq/ft (between both properties)

• Built in 1967

• Enough lake to host a regatta ⛵️

CHECKLIST

A weekend checklist for a go-getter like you.

😷 Descale your coffee maker. Here’s how.

📱 Send an old friend a text that you thought of them.

📸 Schedule that photo shoot with your family (there doesn’t have to be an occasion).

🌸 Pick up a bundle of flowers for your significant other, or just for you.

🌱 Trim down any perennial grasses in your beds to make room for new growth.

HEADLINES

More news from around the capital.

• Prison: New prison development in Lincoln took its first steps forward for zoning approval.

• Sears: There’s a proposed redevelopment for the Sears building at Gateway Mall.

🐻 WEEKLY WILDCARD (a headline we never saw coming)

• Helmets: Nebraska will no longer require motorcycle riders to wear helmets if they are above 21 and have completed a safety course (Listen closely & you’ll hear the faint echo of ER doctors screaming into the void).