Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska announced plans for a new office campus on the old Ak-Sar-Ben property in Omaha, just blocks away from its headquarters at 72nd Street and Mercy Road.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield has the biggest share of health insurance in Nebraska.

Tetrad Development Corp. will own the 10-story, 315,000 square-foot building at Aksarben Village.  Blue Cross expects to move in during the first quarter of 2011.

Tetrad is owned by W. David Scott, son of Walter Scott Jr., chairman emeritus of Peter Kiewit Sons, contractor for the project.   Leo A. Daly Co., designed it.

Construction is set to begin immediately on the $98 million project.    More than 1,000 employees will work on the site. 

Blue Cross officials estimate the company will save a minimum of $2 million per year from its current ownership of multiple sites.  Two buildings at South 72nd and Mercy Road, and the Omaha Tower just north of those buildings will be sold, Blue Cross said.