VALENTINE, Neb. – The Cherry County Tourism Board is launching its first fundraiser for a long-planned convention center in Valentine, offering a raffle with a top prize of $20,000.

As News Channel Nebraska has previously reported, Cherry County commissioners signed an inter-local agreement with Mid-Plains Community College to build the center near the college in Valentine. The county is committed to contributing $250,000 every quarter toward the project, with a cap of $1.5 million. Cherry County Tourism has been working toward a convention center for a couple of decades and has already set aside $1.5 million in a promotional fund, generated from lodging taxes. No county tax dollars are expected to be used for the project.

The raffle, sponsored by the Valentine Volunteer Fire Department, will take place Oct. 11 at the former Shopko building. A social with food trucks begins at 5 p.m., followed by the drawing at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $100 each and are available at the Cherry County Visitor’s Center or from tourism board members. Only 500 tickets will be sold, and every ticket is guaranteed a prize.

All checks need to be made out to the Valentine Volunteer Fire Department, and the money raised will go to the fire department.  Then the proceeds will be given to the Sandhills Area Foundation in an account for the purpose of building the Cherry County Convention Center.

Tourism board members include Greg Nollette, Sara Ferguson, Rich Mercure, Kim Epke, and Anne Clark.

Here are statements from some of the board members:

By: Kim Epke

“How do we plan to accomplish helping our community strive and grow? By building this beautiful convention/event center.

Let me begin by saying THERE WILL NOT BE ANY TAX MONEY USED TO BUILD THE CONVENTION/ EVENT CENTER.

We feel we have made a fabulous partnership with Mid-Plains Community College. Mid-Plains is providing the land and, once the project is completed, the management of the facility including; rental, set-up, cleaning and all upkeep. An added benefit will be the use of college classrooms as break-out rooms and added restrooms for large conventions and meetings. Mid-Plains has built other facilities which have been very successful. They have the experience needed to know what works and have been very helpful in the planning stages for this project. Once the convention/event center has been built there will not be any additional cost for Cherry County. Without Mid Plains as a partner, we would have to hire staff to run the convention/event center, pay the utilities and pay all upkeep. This is a HUGE benefit and we are fortunate to have Mid Plains on board with our vision for our community.

As I mentioned before, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY TAX MONEY USED TO BUILD THE CONVENTION/ EVENT CENTER. We are using lodging taxes which are meant to be used to help our community. The balance will be paid by grants and donations. The other question that we have been asked is once Mid Plains takes over, can our taxes go up by what they need per year? The answer is most likely no.

The operational costs will be paid for by the revenue generated from the increased events to be hosted in the facility. The utilities and general maintenance of the facility won’t substantially increase the already budgeted expenses for the existing campus.

Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Mid-Plains Community College general operations are funded through tuition and fees, State Aid, and the Community College Future Fund which replaced the property tax levy. They currently do not collect property taxes for the general operation of the college as long as the State funds the Future Fund. They do still have a 2-cent capital levy for building repairs, remodels, and construction of facilities as determined to be necessary. Any future remodels or upgrades to the space would be included as

part of Mid-Plains Community College three-year Capital Improvement Fund which is funded by the existing capital levy.

Another benefit of partnering with Mid-Plains Community College is that they are allowing us to offer any donors the opportunity to make a pledge and pay it over five years. Along with that Mid Plains considers the full amount pledged as being paid at that time. In other words, if someone pledges $100,000.00 to be paid $20,000.00 per year, the $100,000.00 counts toward our goal and we do not have to wait to break ground when all money is collected. This is a huge benefit to our project along with a benefit to donors who would like to spread their donations out over several years.

We have formed another wonderful partnership with Sandhills Area Foundation. An agreement has been entered into with Sandhills Area Foundation wherein they will handle all donations that are made for the convention/event center. By them handling the money all of the donations will qualify as a 501© donation. Sandhills Area Foundation is handling the accounting for said funds. They also have the potential to help us in applying for grants. Sandhills Area Foundation is a great partnership for Cherry County Tourism Board and for all donors who see our dream of a convention/event center.

We feel we have a great plan and have great partnerships established to build a much-needed convention/event center which has the potential to boost our economy and grow our community.”

 

By: Tourism Board Chairman Rich Mercure

“Cherry County’s Next Big Thing: A Regional Event & Convention Center for Valentine

A transformative new project is on the horizon for Cherry County — the construction of a regional event and convention center that promises to become a vital resource for the entire community. Planned as an addition to the Mid-Plains Community College campus in Valentine, this modern facility will be the first of its kind in the area, offering state-of-the-art amenities, flexible space, and long-term community impact.

What Is It?

At the heart of the project is a fully equipped event ballroom capable of hosting over 600 guests, complete with a professional stage, on-site kitchen, and multiple breakout rooms designed for meetings, workshops, and parallel sessions. This flexibility allows the center to accommodate everything from large conferences and trade shows to weddings, concerts, local banquets, and community events.

The building is being thoughtfully designed with input from local leaders and architects to reflect both the current and future needs of Cherry County. It will be modern, accessible, and purpose-built — designed to serve both everyday local events and major regional gatherings.

Who’s Behind It?

The project is being made possible through a strong partnership between Cherry County Tourism and Mid-Plains Community College. To kickstart the vision, Cherry County Tourism has committed $1.5 million in lodging tax dollars — a bold first step that shows serious commitment without placing any burden on local taxpayers.

In fact, no taxpayer dollars will be used to build or operate the facility. Mid-Plains Community College has agreed to manage the day-to-day operations and provide long-term maintenance, ensuring that the center is professionally run and financially sustainable into the future.

Making It Happen

To bring this vision to life, Cherry County Tourism is now launching a community-wide fundraising campaign. The opportunity is open for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to contribute — and receive perpetual naming rights for rooms, spaces, or even the building itself. All donations will be tax deductible, and naming opportunities provide a lasting way to leave a legacy in Cherry County.

The tourism board has done more than fundraise — they’ve toured numerous facilities across Nebraska and the surrounding region to gather the best ideas and identify what will work best here at home. They've secured a trusted design partner and developed architectural plans that reflect both function and community character.

What Could Be

This project isn’t just about building a venue — it’s about creating a space where our community can gather, grow, and thrive. It’s a place for celebration, collaboration, and connection. Whether you're attending a high school prom, a regional conference, a trade fair, or a college performance, this center will be here for you — and for generations to come.

So the question becomes: What role will you play in shaping Cherry County’s future? Your support matters now more than ever. Together, we can make this vision a reality.”

 

By: Greg Nollette

“Why Does Cherry County Need A Community Convention/Event Center?

There are only 26 letters in the alphabet, and I have been thinking, how can I use these 26 letters to convince you “WHY” we “NEED” this project. Well, there are only 67 million, 108 thousand, 863 combinations of 26 letters. I am not going to bore you with that, nor am I going to “blow smoke up your pant leg” with facts and figures, I am just going to speak to you from my “heart”.

So, the big question on everyone’s mind, “Why” do we need an event/convention center? I can answer that question, “WHY NOT”. To explain a little further, the Cherry County Tourism Board is asking that each and everyone of you to share our “VISION”. I am going to share with you my thoughts about the vision of Cherry County, our community, and results of people with vision.

Cherry County has two major industries, agriculture and tourism. Cherry County is one of the largest beef producing counties in our nation. Not only that, but we are also known for raising the best beef in this world. Everyone in Cherry County should be proud of that. But think about the vision and goals our producers in Cherry County have, they are continually striving to “Grow” and to become better beef producers.

Cherry County is not an industrial county, but we are blessed with an abundance of natural resources. Some would say we have “nothing” as compared to the modern world, but “nothing” is “something”. Our clear blue skies, our starry nights, our lakes and rivers, wildlife and wide openness lends itself as an invitation for the expansion of agritourism.

Our community, the human component of our vast resources, needs to continue to grow. A community is like a tree, if it is not growing, it is dying. Valentine has a beautiful high school facility. But has anyone noticed the “handwriting on the wall”. I am not referring to graffiti, which there is none. I am talking about the number of graduating seniors of Valentine Community Schools. The average number of graduating high school seniors has declined as compared to average number 30 years ago. What does this mean? A community that needs to grow!

So what does all of this have to do with CCT boards vision? Our vision and goal are simply to invest the lodging tax dollars collected in Cherry County to create tourist destinations and to promote tourism in Cherry County. We see the convention/event center as a catalyst for community growth. As the number of tourists grow so does the businesses that support them. Also, it creates opportunities for agritourism in all of Cherry County. Instead of looking for jobs off the ranch, jobs can be created on the ranch.

Why do we need more jobs? Jobs are what we need to create an opportunity for our young people to stay in Cherry County to raise their families. What a great place to grow up.

Will we see business’s spring up and more gradating seniors the first year after it is built? No. This project is an investment into our future.

Will it put money in everyone’s pocket that invests? No. This project is an investment into our future.

So, the question maybe still “WHY” should you share our vision?

I am going to share my own personal experience in “WHY” you would want to share our vision. My dad died at a very young age during the ag depression of the 80’s. Banks closed, people moved away, and for some reason all four of his sons did not want to sell what little he had. He was broke, only had about 20 head of cows, some sows, and he was trying to make a living in Nenzel. A town our fore father founded in 1899.

We decided to stay, against everyone’s advice. For those of you that remember the 80’s, can you think of what would be left of Nenzel today, if my brothers and I decided not to stay?

Niobrara Valley Vineyards has one full time employee, 20 part-time seasonal employees, two additional families in the community of Nenzel, we sell wine to over 90 retail outlets across NE, and we can ship wine to 38 states in the USA. Nenzel is not much, but we are still alive.

Just think what a community could do if they decide to share a common goal and make a difference in a community. The results would be over whelming!

Randy Travis said it best, ‘It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it’s what you leave behind you when you go.’”