OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The city has decided not to renew its lease with Love's Jazz and Arts Center at 24th and Lake. The city has leased the space to the cultural arts center since 2005 for $1 for ten years.
The city cited violations of the agreement in their decision and said a celebration held on Native Omaha Days in 2019 in which the police requested it to be shut down is one example.
Preston Love Jr., whose father is the namesake of the center, was not surprised by the decision. Love, who has not been actively involved in the management of the center, said he saw it coming.
"So, here we are and I would say, no I was not surprised because what has happened today, has happened long before. Today was just the final chapter in what we think of as the love jazz and arts center," Love Jr says. "This happened over almost the entire year of 2020, partly because related to covid but partly related to there was a complete drop in activity and so it’s been disappointing to everyone involved."
Love Jr. said the current management has let his father down. He said they lost the vision of what the Love Center was intended for.
"I think some of the things that the love center was designed to do kind of fell by the wayside. It surely was not intended to be a jazz club. It was intended to be a cultural center and which jazz is part of our culture and art, black African American art," Love Jr. says.
Although the lease is not being renewed, the center isn't closing for good. Under his direction, Love Jr. intends to bring the cultural arts center back to its roots.
"I would quickly tell you that I’m prepared to open up a new chapter in that space going forward," Love Jr. says. "My family and my father’s legacy is embedded in the love center and second as a community elder and activist and advocate we love and need the love center it was a tremendous asset and needs to continue to be so. So I began to have conversations with the city to talk about my role in turning the page for a new chapter for the love center."
In those new plans of course includes art and music, but also youth programs and a space for the community to gather and host events.
