Crazy stories and ‘drunken debauchery’ on tap for downtown Omaha businesses as CWS returns

Known by his coworkers for having the best stories, the server starts to paint a picture of life during the College World Series.

“It was right over there,” Menard says. “Booth 16.”

A handful of years ago — during what’s annually one of the busiest times for the downtown Omaha bar — a 6-foot-4, 300-pound man took a seat on the table. Not at the booth. Not at a chair pulled up to the end. On the table.

It was Ndamukong Suh. Former Husker football player, 2009 Heisman Trophy finalist, a 13-year NFL veteran. He has a Super Bowl ring.

But rules are rules. Even for famous patrons. 

A coworker told the defensive lineman to get off the table — in language not suitable for publication. 

There are plenty more stories from past CWS, and more to come as the event soon descends on Omaha. Games start Friday, and with them the week-and-a-half surge to the local economy. Especially for businesses near Charles Schwab Field.

The CWS, a 10-day tournament featuring eight of the best teams in college baseball, has its share of havoc, too. Everything one expects when that many people get together for baseball and beer.

“There’s a lot of drunken debauchery,” Menard said. “That’s why I just work my days and get out of here.”

Downtown essentially becomes its own precinct for the Omaha Police Department, Lt. Neal Bonacci said. 

They move their mobile command center near the stadium, allowing OPD’s operations to stay the same. And it keeps them nearby if — when — something happens.

“There are things that pop off, and have popped off, with the College World Series being in town. It’s not always related, either,” Bonacci said. “But you’ll definitely see a larger police presence down there during games and in the evening.”

The mayhem and business boost encompasses Blatt Beer & Table, named after previous CWS home Rosenblatt Stadium and across the street from Schwab Field. To the Mattress Factory, which sits a block away from the stadium’s gate in right field. To Annie’s, an Irish pub across from CHI Health Center a few streets over.

“Last year’s series, the impact was about $115 million. That’s about 22,500 jobs that are supported and over $3 million in local taxes,” said Amy Hornocker, the executive director of College World Series of Omaha, Inc. “That’s up from about $88.3 million when we did our last study in 2019.”

Hornocker has seen the event grow in downtown firsthand. She started as a CWS intern during the Rosenblatt days, then joined the staff in 2017.

A year ago, that meant setting event records of 24,599 in per-game attendance in a stadium with a 24,000 capacity.

“And that’s just what came through our doors,” Hornocker said.

Annie’s owner Joe Wells, who has worked the CWS since the pub opened in March 2018, said the bar normally bases the bulk of its operation around Fridays and Saturdays. 

But during the CWS, Wells treats every night like a weekend. He has to.

Weekdays are usually staffed with one bartender, but at least one more is added for the week-plus the teams and their fans land in Omaha. Security is also beefed up and a DJ is there every night.

“We kind of just accelerate our weekday operation into more of what it might look like on the weekend,” Wells said, “and we just kind of do that for 10 days.”

Unlike other spots, Annie’s typically doesn’t get too crazy, Wells said. He thinks part of that is because of the location.

Another part is because Annie’s doesn’t serve food.

“Not everybody’s just looking for a drink,” Wells said. “This is a food and drink event.”

There are people who just want a drink, though.

Annie’s partnered with LSU’s athletic foundations last year. The pub served as homebase for the sea of purple and gold that flooded Omaha.

That stuff is set up on the fly, Wells said. The CWS teams aren’t set until a few days before first pitch.

The Tigers went on to beat Florida in the best-of-three championship series, winning their third national title this century. The final game was on a Monday, and ended shortly after 9:30 p.m.

“They called us at about 2:10 in the morning,” Wells said. “They said, ‘Hey, can we come over and just keep partying at your place?’ I told them no, because we can’t serve alcohol past 2 a.m. But even at the end of the night, they were ready to keep celebrating when the bars closed down.”

Business is good during the CWS, though Wells said it isn’t “life-changing money.” It’s different for every place.

Menard shared that sentiment. So did Cyndi Murphy, one of Menard’s managers.

“Everybody loves the College World Series, don’t get me wrong. But we have 350 other days that we run, that we do business,” said Murphy, who has worked every CWS since it moved from Rosenblatt to downtown in 2011.

“If we don’t do good business 350 days out of the year, we won’t be here for those other 15. That’s how we’ve always looked at it. If you rely on it, you’ll never make it.”

The economic impact changes yearly, too. Which teams are playing has as much to do with it as anything.

Everyone — Menard, Wells, Murphy — roots for LSU to make it because of the crowd that follows the team. They root for Mississippi State, too, after it “brought the whole state” three years ago, Murphy said. Really, they’re fans of any team that packs their places.

There’s never any telling what will come of the chaos. This year is no different.

There is story after story, and Menard — deemed the storyteller at The Matt — has plenty of them.

He’ll keep sharing, too. He pauses for a second, sifting through his collection of morning shifts for another tale. He’s got a good one, he says, but it has to wait.

“I have to go check on this table real quick,” Menard said. “Give me just a minute.”

Business never stops. And it’s about to get even busier.