OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A group associated with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce has hired a director to focus on boosting activities near the Missouri River. The Omaha World-Herald reports that former Lincoln Railyard employee Rachel Halbmaier began Monday at the Missouri River Commons initiative.

The push to bring more events to the riverfront comes after a 2014 Urban Land Institute study. The group suggested the Omaha-Council Bluffs area come together to bring more people to the riverfront, and even potentially hold a national festival.

Chamber President David Brown says that before anything big can develop, Halbmaier will work to ensure people are using the current riverfront amenities. Brown says residents can expect to start seeing results from Halbmaier’s work by next year.