Cornhusker Hotel

The Cornhusker Hotel, formally known as The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, is a full-service hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It occupies a downtown site with a long hotel history: the present property replaced the original Hotel Cornhusker, which opened in 1926 and was demolished in 1982. The current building opened on December 21, 1983, as part of a larger redevelopment that included a convention center, office space, parking, and an atrium. The original Hotel Cornhusker was announced in 1925 and constructed on the site of the former First Presbyterian church. It opened on July 6, 1926, with 350 rooms across twelve floors. The property became an important Lincoln lodging and civic venue. In 1930 it was acquired by A. Q. Schimmel, who also owned Omaha's Blackstone Hotel. From 1954 through 1970, the building served as the headquarters of the Nebraska Club. Radisson Hotel Corporation purchased it from the Schimmel family in 1969. The first hotel closed in 1978 after its owners concluded that preserving and operating the aging structure would not be economically practical. The property was sold to First National Bank of Omaha for redevelopment of the block, and the building was imploded on February 20, 1982. Plans for the replacement complex were developed under Los Angeles developer David Murdock. The project was initially called Cornhusker Square and was conceived as a mixed-use downtown development rather than simply a replacement hotel. It was the first hotel project in Lincoln to use tax increment financing. The current hotel opened in December 1983. Its development includes a ten-story hotel with 297 rooms, a seven-story office building, a parking garage, a three-story atrium, and a convention center. The property is therefore positioned not only as visitor accommodation but also as a venue for conferences, meetings, and other civic or business gatherings in central Lincoln. The hotel entered the Marriott franchise system in April 2005. Marriott withdrew the franchise in 2012 after renovations required under the franchise relationship had not been completed. Later in 2012, Marcus Hotels and Resorts acquired the property, carried out renovations, and returned it to the Marriott system. The property consequently combines a locally significant hotel identity with the distribution, standards, and brand affiliation associated with Marriott. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel closed in March 2020 and reopened in August of that year. In March 2025, plans were reported for the convention center to be rebuilt at a new location across the street. The hotel remains an active Lincoln hospitality property, with its identity shaped by the continuity of the Cornhusker name, its downtown location, its convention role, and the transition from an independent historic hotel to a Marriott-affiliated property operated by Marcus Hotels and Resorts.

The Cornhusker Hotel's history begins with the original Hotel Cornhusker, a major downtown Lincoln lodging project announced in July 1925. The project was built on the site of the former First Presbyterian church and opened on July 6, 1926. The twelve-story hotel contained 350 rooms and was constructed with brick, stone, and terracotta. Its scale made it a significant hotel and gathering place for Lincoln. In 1930, A. Q. Schimmel purchased the property. Schimmel was also associated with Omaha's Blackstone Hotel, linking the Cornhusker to a broader Nebraska hotel ownership network. Between 1954 and 1970, the building served as the headquarters of the Nebraska Club. Radisson Hotel Corporation acquired the hotel from the Schimmel family in 1969. The original building closed in 1978. Its owners argued that retaining the aging property would not be economically feasible, and redevelopment plans were pursued for the block. First National Bank of Omaha acquired the property for that purpose. On February 20, 1982, the original twelve-story hotel was imploded, clearing the site for a new downtown complex. The replacement development was associated with Los Angeles developer David Murdock and was initially known as Cornhusker Square. The plan included a new hotel together with a convention center, office space, parking, and an atrium. The project was notable in Lincoln because the hotel was the city's first to be developed using tax increment financing. Construction began after the demolition of the original building, and the new hotel officially opened on December 21, 1983. The present property has ten floors and 297 rooms. Its wider development includes a seven-story office building, a parking garage, a three-story atrium, and convention facilities. This configuration established the hotel as both a lodging business and a downtown events property, serving visitors, business travelers, conferences, and other organized gatherings. In April 2005, the hotel became a Marriott franchise. That relationship was interrupted in 2012 when Marriott withdrew the franchise because the owners had not completed required renovations. Later that year Marcus Hotels and Resorts purchased the property, renovated it, and brought it back into the Marriott system. The episode marked a major transition from the property's earlier independent and locally rooted identity toward operation within a global hotel franchise network, while retaining the Cornhusker name. The property was temporarily closed in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened in August 2020. In March 2025, plans were announced to rebuild the convention center across the street from the hotel in a new location. The available historical record does not establish the identity of the hotel's current general manager or other current executives. The hotel remains an active downtown Lincoln property and continues the name and civic role associated with both the 1926 hotel and its 1983 successor.

• 2025

  Convention center relocation plan

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  A plan was announced to rebuild the convention center across the street from the hotel.

• 2020

  Pandemic closure and reopening

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel closed in March during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened in August.

• 2012

  Ownership, renovation, and franchise transition

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Marcus Hotels and Resorts acquired and renovated the hotel after Marriott withdrew its franchise; the property subsequently returned to the Marriott system.

• 2005

  Marriott affiliation begins

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The property entered the Marriott franchise system in April.

• 1983

  Current hotel opens

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The replacement hotel officially opened on December 21 as part of the Cornhusker Square redevelopment.

• 1982

  Original building demolished

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The original Hotel Cornhusker was imploded on February 20 to clear the site for redevelopment.

• 1978

  Original hotel closes

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The original property closed as redevelopment plans were prepared for the block.

• 1969

  Radisson acquires the original hotel

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Radisson Hotel Corporation purchased the original Cornhusker from the Schimmel family.

• 1930

  A. Q. Schimmel purchases the hotel

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The original hotel was acquired by A. Q. Schimmel, owner of Omaha's Blackstone Hotel.

• 1926

  Original hotel opens

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Hotel Cornhusker opened on July 6 with twelve floors and 350 rooms.

• 1925

  Original Hotel Cornhusker announced

  [1]The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Plans for the original Hotel Cornhusker were announced for a downtown Lincoln site formerly occupied by the First Presbyterian church.

A downtown Lincoln full-service hotel with a historic local name, Marriott affiliation, and an emphasis on lodging, meetings, conventions, and civic or business events.

• Hotel accommodation · 1983

  Guest rooms

  The current Cornhusker Hotel provides 297 guest rooms in a ten-story downtown hotel building. The rooms are the property's core lodging product and support visitors to Lincoln as well as guests attending meetings and conventions connected with the wider development.

• Events and hospitality · 1983

  Convention and meeting facilities

  Convention facilities form a central part of the Cornhusker development. The hotel was planned together with a convention center, allowing the property to serve organized business, civic, and group events in addition to individual hotel stays. A relocation and rebuilding plan for the convention center was announced in 2025.

• Full-service hotel development · 1983

  Downtown hotel complex

  The broader property includes the hotel, a seven-story office building, parking facilities, and a three-story atrium. This integrated development gives the Cornhusker a mixed-use and convention-oriented role within central Lincoln.

• 2025

  Plan convention center relocationStrategy

  Background

  The existing convention-center arrangement associated with the hotel was subject to a redevelopment plan.

  Action taken

  Plans were announced to rebuild the convention center at a new site across the street from the hotel.

  Source

• 2012

  Acquire, renovate, and restore Marriott affiliationM&A

  Background

  Marriott withdrew the franchise because renovations required under the franchise relationship had not been completed.

  Action taken

  Marcus Hotels and Resorts purchased the property, renovated it, and added it back to the Marriott system later that year.

  Aftermath

  The property continued operating with the Cornhusker identity while again benefiting from Marriott affiliation.

  Source

• 2005

  Adopt Marriott franchise affiliationStrategy

  Background

  The owners sought a national hotel-brand relationship for the Lincoln property.

  Action taken

  The hotel was placed under the Marriott franchise in April 2005.

  Aftermath

  The initial franchise relationship ended in 2012 after required renovations were not completed.

  Source

• 1978

  Replace rather than preserve the original hotelStrategy

  Background

  The owners stated that preserving and continuing to operate the aging original Hotel Cornhusker would not be economically realistic.

  Action taken

  The hotel was closed, sold for block redevelopment, and ultimately demolished by implosion in 1982.

  Aftermath

  The decision led to construction of the present hotel and its associated convention, office, parking, and atrium complex, which opened in 1983.

  Source

1. 1The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotelen.wikipedia.org