Port authority leaders say state is withholding funds, slowing economic progress in northeast Omaha

Boundaries of the Omaha Inland Port Authority. (Courtesy of City of Omaha)

OMAHA — An Omaha entity tasked with helping revive some of the most depressed neighborhoods in Nebraska is at odds with state officials it said are refusing to release $11 million in state funds needed for programming.

The Omaha Inland Port Authority, which was authorized by state law and created by the city to promote economic development in northeast Omaha, said it may have to turn to legal action.

“It slows down our progress,” said State Sen. Terrell McKinney, who chairs the port authority board. “We had things on the table we wanted to launch.”

The North Omaha lawmaker, who helped champion port authority legislation, said the held-up funds should be boosting programming in the roughly 3,000-acre port authori