Ak-Sar-Ben (arena)

Ak-Sar-Ben (arena)

Ak-Sar-Ben, or Aksarben, was an indoor arena and horse racing complex in Omaha, Nebraska. Built to fund the civic and philanthropic activities of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, the thoroughbred race track was built in 1920 and the Coliseum (capacity 7,200) was built in 1929. The racetrack closed in 1995 and the arena in 2002; the facility was demolished in 2005, and is currently being redeveloped for a variety of uses, including dormitory housing for the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the Aksarben Village development. Ak-Sar-Ben is "Nebraska" spelled backwards. The Knights originally said they were turning Nebraska around, thus "Ak-Sar-Ben."