Plans to convert an abandoned grain elevator and 62 accompanying silos in Omaha, NE into a private climbing facility were approved by the city council Tuesday, reported WOWT.com, the website for the local NBC affiliate.


Silo Extreme Outdoor Adventure, LLC , which is owned by partners Richard Brock and Ronald Safarik, acquired the property in September and want to convert it into a full-service climbing facility that offers both outdoor and indoor rock climbing and bouldering.

The elevator and silos-ranging from 90 to 180 feet  in height –  are located on a 3-acre industrial parcel that backs up to a railroad near the intersection of Vinton and 34th Street. The site has been used for illegal dumping and an eyesore for years. The partnership wants to use 5,300 square feet inside the complex for indoor climbing. The Omaha City Council issued a special use permit needed to run the business after a public hearing Tuesday.

Long-term plans call for adding a high ropes course and other leadership training amenities, according to public records. Brock told WOWT that the center would be the only one of its kind within seven hours.