Countdown To The Swim Trials

There's a swimming pool in the Qwest Center!
Did you know that Omaha is playing host to the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials? It's one of a number of major sporting events the city is hosting in 2008. The list of big events actually started last November with the NCAA Volleyball finals, followed by first and second round NCAA basketball games in March. Next up is the College World Series (in about 10 days) and then the premier event, the Olympic Trials.

Dad will have a hand in the trials, through his work for Elevation Sports & Entertainment. It started this week with the Mutual of Omaha Swimvitational, a preview meet of sorts for fans and the staff and volunteers who will work the Trials.

All this week, Dad will be staffing the Toyota Energy Zone at the Qwest Center. Here's a progression of the center in photos. (Dad put together those black chairs by the computers.) The Energy Zone is a place for the athletes to relax outside of competition in the main pool in the arena - and a warm-up pool in the convention center.

The boxes contained furniture from IKEA that had to be assembled.

Six hours later, the furniture is in place.

Banners go up and computer stations are in place.