VALENTINE, Neb. -- From festivals to concerts, events can draw a lot of visitors, and therefore more money, into communities. However, hosting events can be difficult for small towns, especially if they don’t have a proper venue. Valentine city and county leaders have been discussing the potential of a convention center for years.

“If a conference is coming to town, we have great things for them to do outside of the conference. What we’re missing is the place to hold the conference,” said Martin DeNaeyer, Cherry County commissioner.

After a proposal to build a convention center in the former Shopko building failed, Cherry County commissioners are now considering a new agreement to build a center at Mid-Plains Community College.

“I think we are possibly closer than we have been for a while partnering with Mid-Plains, but I want to state that we’re in the very beginning of this. We’re just getting our ideas together right now,” DeNaeyer said.

The potential agreement would have the county paying a portion of the building, along with fundraising and grants. Mid-Plains would maintain and manage the facility.

“They’re already there. They have people working there. It kind of makes sense,” DeNaeyer said.

Commissioners hope to have more details, such as dollar amounts, at their next meeting, but one thing is for sure—a new convention center has the possibility to improve quality of life and economic development in Valentine.

“It brings people to town with conferences and things like that. It’s good for everybody,” DeNaeyer said.