BELLEVUE — About forty-five acres of farm in this heavily militarized city will become a rare “innovation hub” that proponents say would propel Nebraska to the forefront of national cybersecurity efforts.
“It’s a huge, huge, shovel-ready project,” state Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue said of the proposed progression northeast of Highways and 34.
Dubbed “Prairie Hill Farm collaboration campus,” the public-private venture is headed by a team including the City of Bellevue and developer Burlington Capital and is to be located a quick drive from U.S. Strategic Command and Offutt Air Force Base.
The campus would be anchored through a new ultra-secure six-story facility, staffed through a mix of researchers, startups, industrial and defense contractors, some of them running projects of a top-secret nature.
Just outside this indexed space, however, a more public, pedestrian-friendly community would emerge, comprised of walking trails, retail stores, hotels, and residences.
Funders see the center as an “ecosystem” with a dual purpose: to attract and exercise high technology while also raising Nebraska’s profile as a developer of “next-generation” cybersecurity technologies.
If all goes according to plan, said George Achola of Burlington Capital, the structure would begin this year with the focal point: the 200,000-square-foot Innovation and Collaboration Research Center.
The so-called REACH (Research, Engineering, Architecture Collaboration Hub) complex would rise on farmland owned by the City of Bellevue.
Hotel rooms, offices, and advertising would appear around the structure, necessarily forming part of the Prairie Hill Farm generational park.
Over time and in stages, Achola said, the team plans to expand the campus in the state’s third-largest city to 200 acres. He said the team is talking to asset owners about long-term expansion opportunities.
The total investment, Achola said, is expected to exceed $600 million. The cost of allocating REACH is estimated at about $200 million.
While funding is anticipated from private development and philanthropy, much would come from public sources.
A plan for Prairie Hill received through the Nebraska Examiner envisions the new construction, beyond the major REACH facilities, of about 1,200 housing complexes ranging from apartments to homes; 220 hotel rooms and 135,000 square feet of advertising and professional space.
A nonprofit affiliated with the University of Nebraska formula (Nebraska Defense Research Corp. ) would likely be one of the first key tenants of the proposed Prairie Hill Farm in Bellevue, according to other people familiar with the project.
The NDRC, currently housed elsewhere in Bellevue, is to occupy part of the farm’s anchor structure, which developers are calling the REACH building.
Formed around 2021, the NDRC has a development team of 15 to 20 people, a number that fluctuates depending on active contracts, said CEO Jerry “Indy” Gandy, a former fighter pilot and former director of project evaluation and research for StratCom, who is at Offutt Air Force Base.
Gandy and his team consulted on the REACH design. He said the facility would offer features such as a high-ceiling, reconfigurable work area that allows for demonstrations of new technology of interest to the government and other customers.
The NDRC is described as a “neutral corridor” that helps its clients commercialize defense-related technologies.
Gandy said the nonprofit supports the StratCom project and works intensively with national and regional organizations that aim to build defense-related capabilities.
The concept has already been introduced with $20 million from the public budget through Parliament.
In 2022, Omaha State Sen. Mike McDonnell pitched the center to his fellow lawmakers as a public-private business that would help local and state economies, as well as Bellevue-based StratCom’s developing NC3 mission. (CL3 refers to nuclear command, control, and communications. )
McDonnell plans to lead the charge for an additional government boost — the development team is seeking up to $130 million more from the state.
A portion of the initial $20 million in the public budget was used, Achola said, to plan and assess the viability of the campus.
Sanders acknowledged that “the ask is large” and said her research of the project continues. She said the next step is to get Gov. Jim Pillen on board.
Achola said that the development team leaders spoke with Pillen on Monday and that the governor was supportive.
State Sen. Carol Blood, also of Bellevue, considers it a “progressive” initiative that could create tech jobs and attract professionals in competitive fields.
The housing and community component, he said, would give young people and retired military members who want to work in the industry an additional explanation for why they live and stay in the area.
The progression team also discussed the task with others, representatives from the Nebraska Congress and leaders from the University of Nebraska.
McDonnell said early on that the seed was planted when StratCom executives enlisted the help of the UN formula and the private sector to expand a private off-base facility that would bring together a group of entrepreneurs, academics and others to build CL3 capabilities.
From there, Achola said, came the broader concept of a surrounding community and social environment that would attract young skills and emerging corporations in the fields of national defense and cybersecurity.
He describes it as a “city within a city.”
HDR’s Doug Bisson, who led the design efforts, said the team knew the campus was welcoming to professionals and their families.
“You can perform this interesting task in a hermetically sealed box,” Bisson said. But when it’s time to take a break, an employee can take a walking trail or walk down the main street-like aisle to meet colleagues for lunch. or a cocktail.
That balance is critical to a successful development, he said.
“We think it’s going to be a lot less difficult to attract that talent, the most productive and the brightest, if we have that environment right outside our door. “
Location is an advantage, as the progression site is close to StratCom and Offutt Army operations and personnel, and provides easy access to two highways.
At the 2022 legislative hearing, McDonnell said the proposed center would build on what has already begun in Nebraska. He highlighted StratCom’s leadership role in the national operations of NC3, a project to expand a larger plan for satellites, radios, aircraft and other long-term systems that link nuclear platforms and weapons to the military and national leaders.
Additionally, he added, the military is studying how to keep hackers and jammers out while the nuclear company connects to the Internet.
We are also a threat,” Achola said.
The Prairie Hill plan, written with input from a variety of Nebraska security experts, cited a recent scenario in David City. With the help of the FBI and local authorities, the Butler County Health Center would have prevented a malware attack. The attackers also targeted six giant grain cooperatives under the jurisdiction of the Omaha FBI.
The plan also envisions a mix of programs that would be implemented at REACH facilities.
“To cope with the demanding situations of NC3 authenticity, the country will need a facility where genuine progress takes place,” the plan says.
In addition to the highly classified initiatives, the plan includes a component of schooling and engagement of school interns.
Events like the “Science Olympics” can simply foster even younger “talent pools. “
The plan cites Georgia as another state that has invested public budget in an effort to become an epicenter of cybersecurity.
According to the Georgia Cyber Center website, state investment in that complex so far has surpassed more than $100 million to build two facilities. The state also provides annual operational funding.
Similar to Nebraska’s vision, the Augusta-based complex brings together academia, government and industry under one roof. Tech corporations vying for government defense contracts have been drawn to Augusta’s proximity to Fort Gordon, home of the U. S. military’s Cyber Command.
Jerry “Indy” Gandy, executive director of the NU-affiliated Nebraska Defense Research Corp., is among local experts that offered input on the REACH building. He believes it would stand out for an environment that’s ripe to fast-track the development of national defense technology.
“It’s specially designed for collaboration,” Gandy said. “It provides an infrastructure, at the right classification levels, with the right construction, to achieve this collaboration between government, industry and academia. “
For this to happen, the campus relies on a public-private model, which is not unusual in Nebraska. Some of the clearest examples are the Omaha VA ambulatory care center, built with money from philanthropists, and the University of Nebraska. Medical Center’s NeXt project, planned for downtown Omaha.
According to Prairie Hill Farm’s plan: “The Farm will be one of the few publicly funded national security initiatives and will provide an opportunity to leverage state resources such as research, infrastructure, and personal industry to advance national security efforts. “
For REACH facilities alone, the progress team anticipates a return to the state and local economy of more than $12 for every dollar of public budget invested.
Bellevue City Manager Jim Ristow’s conservative estimates call for the creation of 1,244 new jobs.
The campus, an agreement with Bellevue, will be owned and controlled through the Prairie Hill Farm Area Development Authority, a nonprofit organization.
Ristow said the technology-focused campus, topped with housing for on-site workers, would give Nebraska “distinctive merit in nuclear systems and national security. “
Blood said, “He’ll put us on the map. “
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by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner January 9, 2024
BELLEVUE — About forty-five acres of farm in this heavily militarized city will become a rare “innovation hub” that proponents say would propel Nebraska to the forefront of national cybersecurity efforts.
“It’s a huge, huge, out-of-the-box project,” state Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue said of the proposed progression northeast of Highways and 34.
Dubbed the “Prairie Hill Farm Collaborative Campus,” the public-private venture is led by a team that includes the City of Bellevue and developer Burlington Capital and will be located within walking distance of the U. S. Strategic Command. U. S. Air Force Base and Offutt Air Force Base.
The campus would be anchored in a new ultra-secure six-story facility, occupied by a mix of researchers, startups, industrial and defense contractors, some of whom run projects of a top-secret nature.
Just outside this designated area, however, a more public and pedestrian-friendly community of walking trails, retail, hotels, and residences would emerge.
Funders see the center as an “ecosystem” with a dual purpose: to attract and exercise high technology while also raising Nebraska’s profile as a developer of “next-generation” cybersecurity technologies.
If all goes as hoped, said George Achola of Burlington Capital, construction would kick off yet this year with the focal point: the 200,000-square-foot innovation and collaboration research facility.
The so-called REACH (Collaborative Center for Research, Engineering and Architecture) would be built on agricultural land owned by the City of Bellevue.
Hotel rooms, offices, and advertising would appear around the structure, necessarily forming part of the Prairie Hill Farm generational park.
Over time and in stages, Achola said, the team plans to expand the campus in the state’s third-largest city to 200 acres. He said the team is talking to asset owners about long-term expansion opportunities.
Total investment, Achola said, is expected to surpass $600 million. The REACH facility alone carries an estimated price tag of nearly $200 million.
While the investment is expected to come from progress and philanthropy, much of it would come from public sources.
A Prairie Hill plan received through the Nebraska Examiner envisions the new construction, beyond the major REACH facilities, of about 1,200 housing complexes ranging from apartments to homes; 220 hotel rooms and 135,000 square feet of advertising and professional space.
A nonprofit affiliated with the University of Nebraska system — the Nebraska Defense Research Corp. — likely would be an early and key tenant at the Prairie Hill Farm proposed to rise in Bellevue, sources familiar with the project say.
The NDRC, recently located in Bellevue, will occupy a portion of the farm’s anchor structure, which developers call the REACH building.
Formed around 2021, the NDRC has a growing team of 15 to 20, a number that fluctuates depending on active contracts, said executive director Jerry “Indy” Gandy, a former fighter pilot and former director of mission assessment and analysis at StratCom, which is based at Offutt Air Force Base.
Gandy and his team were consulted on the design of REACH. He said the facility would offer features such as a high-ceiling, reconfigurable workspace that would allow demonstrations of new technologies of interest to the government and other clients.
The NDRC is described as a “neutral broker” that helps clients bring defense-related technology to market.
Gandy said the nonprofit supports the mission of StratCom and works closely with national and regional companies that aim to strengthen defense-related capabilities.
The concept has already been introduced thanks to the $20 million public budget allocated by Parliament.
In 2022, state Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha pitched the center to his fellow lawmakers as a public-private business that would benefit local and state economies, as well as Bellevue-based StratCom’s developing NC3 project. (NC3 refers to nuclear command, control, and communications. )
McDonnell plans to lead the rate to get an extra boost from the government: The progression team will receive up to an additional $130 million from the state.
A portion of the initial $20 million in the public budget was used, Achola said, to plan and assess the viability of the campus.
Sanders said “the call for it is important” and said his work continues. He said the next step would be to bring Gov. Jim Pillen together.
Achola said that the development team leaders spoke with Pillen on Monday and that the governor was supportive.
State Sen. Carol Blood, also of Bellevue, calls it a “progressive” initiative that could simply create tech jobs and attract professionals to competitive fields.
The housing and community component, he said, would give young people and retired military members who want to work in the industry an additional explanation for why to live and stay in the area.
The development team has discussed the project with others, as well, including Nebraska congressional representatives and University of Nebraska leaders.
McDonnell said early on that the seed was planted when StratCom executives enlisted the help of the UN formula and the private sector to expand a private off-base facility that would bring together a group of entrepreneurs, academics and others to build CL3 capabilities.
From this, Achola explained, came the broader concept of a surrounding community and social environment that would attract young skills and emerging corporations in the fields of national defense and cybersecurity.
He describes it as a “city within a city. “
HDR’s Doug Bisson, who led the design efforts, said the team knew the campus was welcoming to professionals and their families.
“You can perform this interesting task in a hermetically sealed box,” Bisson said. But when it’s time to take a break, an employee can take a walking trail or walk down the main street-like aisle to meet colleagues for lunch. or a cocktail.
This balance is for successful development, he said.
“We think it’s going to be a lot less difficult to attract that talent, the most productive and the brightest, if we have that environment right outside our door. “
Location is seen as a bonus, as the development site is close to operations and military personnel at StratCom and Offutt, and offers easy access to two highways.
At the 2022 legislative hearing, McDonnell said the proposed center would build on what already exists in Nebraska. He highlighted StratCom’s leadership role in NC3 National Operations, a project to expand a larger plan for satellites, radios, aircraft and other long-term systems that connect nuclear platforms and weapons to the military and national leaders.
In addition, he added, the military is studying how to keep hackers and blockers out while the nuclear company connects to the Internet.
Threats loom close to home, as well, Achola said.
The Prairie Hill plan, written with input from various Nebraska security experts, cited a recent scenario in David City. With the help of the FBI and local authorities, the Butler County Health Center would have prevented a malware attack. The attackers also targeted six primary grain cooperatives under the FBI’s jurisdiction in Omaha.
The plan also envisions a mix of programs that would be implemented at REACH facilities.
“To cope with the demanding situations of NC3 authenticity, the country will need a facility where genuine progress takes place,” the plan says.
In addition to the highly classified initiatives, the plan includes a component of schooling and engagement of school interns.
Events such as the “Science Olympics” can foster even younger “talent pools. “
The plan cites Georgia as another state that has invested public budget in an effort to become an epicenter of cybersecurity.
According to the Georgia Cyber Center’s website, the state’s investment in this complex has exceeded more than $100 million to build two facilities. The state also provides annual operating funding.
Similar to Nebraska’s vision, the Augusta-based complex brings together academia, government and industry under one roof. Tech corporations vying for government defense contracts have been drawn to Augusta’s proximity to Fort Gordon, home of the U. S. military’s Cyber Command.
Jerry “Indy” Gandy, executive director of the U. N. -affiliated Nebraska Defense Research Corp. , is among the local experts who contributed to the progress of REACH. He believes it would excel in an environment conducive to accelerating the progression of national defense technology.
“It’s specially designed for collaboration,” Gandy said. “It provides an infrastructure, at the right classification levels, with the right construction, to achieve this collaboration between government, industry and academia. “
To materialize, the campus relies on a public-private model, which has not been uncommon in Nebraska. High-dollar examples include the Omaha VA outpatient care facility that was built with financial help from philanthropists, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s planned Project NeXt in midtown Omaha.
According to Prairie Hill Farm’s plan: “The Farm will be one of the few publicly funded national security initiatives and will provide an opportunity to leverage state resources such as research, infrastructure, and personal industry to advance national security efforts. “
For REACH facilities alone, the progress team projects a return to the state and local economy of more than $12 for every dollar of public budget invested.
Bellevue City Manager Jim Ristow’s conservative estimates call for the creation of 1,244 new jobs.
The campus, an agreement with Bellevue, will be owned and controlled through the Prairie Hill Farm Area Development Authority, a nonprofit organization.
Ristow said the technology-focused campus, topped with housing for on-site workers, would give Nebraska “distinctive merit in nuclear systems and national security. “
Said Blood: “This is going to put us on the map.”
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Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of grant-funded news bureaus and a coalition of donors as a 501c public charity(3). Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Please contact Editor Cate Folsom if you have questions: info@nebraskaexaminer. com. Follow the Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
Senior reporter Cindy Gonzalez, an Omaha native, has more than 35 years of experience, much of it at the Omaha World-Herald. Its policy spaces include advertising and real estate development; regional reports; immigration, demographics and network diversity; and City Council and Local Politics.
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