on may 15, 1999, the ushl unanimously voted to allow then omaha lancers' owner, ted baer, to place a new team in kearney, nebraska, for the 2000–01 season. in june 1999, jim hillman was named the team's first head coach. the tri-city storm won their first game on september 30, 2000. the storm finally played their first home game on november 18, 2000, after eight months of construction on the tri-city arena. the storm were named ushl organization of the year in their first year of operation.