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Digging Deeper: Following the money on longtime abandoned hotel in west Omaha

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OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — KMTV has been covering this abandoned hotel near 108th and L for years. We've uncovered that since 2018, the Douglas County Treasurer's Office shows that the owners have struggled to pay their property taxes, often delayed in paying by one-to-two years. 2023 taxes still haven't been paid.

Nearby business owner and audio engineer Joe Wolf has been a hotel neighbor for over 10 years. He said he's not surprised by the news.

"They certainly haven't put money into the building, so why bother paying the taxes," said Wolf.

Wolf said he's only seen this building go downhill over the years.

"The condition of the building is on the hands of the owner. They really should be responsible for taking care of their mess. It's not right for the citizens of Omaha to deal with this," he said.

Carlisle Senior Living LLC., owns the property. Court documents show it filed for bankruptcy in Nebraska earlier this year. Case documents reveal that, other than a mortgage, creditors included Douglas County, the State of Nebraska, and the IRS.

The bankruptcy case — which would have allowed Carlisle to eliminate some debt but stay in business — was ultimately dismissed because important paperwork wasn't in place, namely an insurance policy on the property.

"As a property owner in the area, everyone wants to see something done with this," said Wolf.

"It's not usable. I think it needs to be demolished and a new owner does something with it," said Wolf.

Again on Friday, KMTV called the owners for a response but have not heard back. We did go to their bankruptcy attorney's office. He said, "No comment."

We'll keep updating you on this story.