Located squarely in the shadow of Omaha's larger arts and culture scene, the one in Council Bluffs has struggled to find its identity and flourish. An earlier pilot project to reclaim an old tractor factory and remodel it into an artist loft colony has met with success, creating a focus in Council Bluffs' downtown where local artists can live, work and show.

Fayetteville's previous downtown plan was a success by almost any measure, guiding more than $30 million of reinvestment over the decade following its adoption. But the plan needed updating to reflect new conditions, including shifting community attitudes about downtown's identity.