Heartland Events Center, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – Kyle Tarwater, executive director of the Heartland Events Center, gave an overview of VenuWorks’ planned budget for management and operations of the Heartland Events Center during calendar year 2025 to the Grand Island City Council on Dec. 17.
Projected revenue is comprised of:
- Building rent (including Eihusen Arena and Bosselman Conference Center), $235,353.
- Contractually obligated revenue (includes naming rights, premium seating, signage, print advertising, event sponsorships), $277,668.
- Reimbursed event expenses, $309,207.
- Food and beverage revenue (concessions and catering), $531,716.
- Other revenues (ticket, merchandise, fees), $1,359,569.
Total revenue, $2,688,514.
Projected expenses is comprised of:
- Cost of goods sold, $1,268,967.
- Personnel costs, $907,260.
- General and administrative costs, $75,433.
- Occupancy costs, $447,230.
- Services and operations cost, $161,350.
- Event expenses, $287,747.
- Food and beverage expenses, $40,341.
- Total expenses: $3,188,326.
City Administrator Laura McAloon discussed a transition agreement between the city of Grand Island and the Fonner Park Exposition and Event Center for the Heartland Events Center. Ownership of the Heartland Events Center was transferred to the city on Dec. 15, 2024.
Since 2004, Fonner Park has operated and managed the Heartland Events Center. City Attorney Kari Fisk wrote in a memo to the City Council: “Under their careful management, Heartland Events Center has hosted countless concerts, entertainment, sports and athletic events, conventions, and trade shows, and Bosselman Conference Center has hosted countless meetings, receptions, weddings, and banquets of all sizes. …We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Fonner Park Board of Directors, past and present, who took on the challenge of building and operating an entertainment venue that provided years of entertainment and millions of dollars in revenue to our city.”
“In addition, the employees of the Halll County Livestock Improvement Association, past and present, also deserve the city’s thanks and recognition. These are the people who actually made all of the entertainment magic happen, from monster truck shows to cheerleading competitions to national concert tours,” Fisk wrote.
“Notably, the current Fonner Park executive leadership team of Chris Kotulak and Mark Landis have worked tirelessly and cooperatively with city staff over the past year to prepare for this event,” Fisk wrote.
Fisk and Kotulak recommended a negotiated payment of $265,000 from the city to Fonner Park for the equipment and personal property that was acquired by Fonner Park over the term of its management for the efficient operation of Heartland Events Center and Bosselman Conference Center.
The City Council voted 9-0 to approve the transition agreement. Council member Jason Conley was absent Dec. 17.
In another matter, the City Council approved a grant application for Camp Augustine to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s Civic and Community Center Financing Fund. The fun supports municipalities in an array of project types that promote economic opportunity and a higher quality of life. The competitive grant has a 1:1 cost share match. A letter of intent is due Jan. 15, and the grant application is due Feb. 15. Anticipated award date is March 30.
“City staff has determined that applying for grant funding through this program for development at the city-owned Camp Augustine property would be a great fit for early development,” Finance Director Matthew Gleason wrote in a memo to City Council. The city would request $900,597 from the grant with a city match of $900,597 for a total of $1,801,194.
At the City Council’s request, staff received a recommendation from planning consultant John Royster of Big Muddy of Omaha for the timing of the phased construction of elements of Camp Augustine’s master plan. Royster wrote in a letter to Mayor Roger Steele that three phases of project development would be about equal in project cost. Royster had met with two representatives of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on what would work best for development of the park.
“Their recommendation would be to include the high demand facilities like both RV campgrounds and tent camping in the first phase along with park headquarters remodel, and the portion of new roads needed to access them and utilities to serve them,” Royster wrote.
“The second phase might include completion of the roads and utilities systems, as well as other features that will help build park visitation. They said that they would wait and include cabin groups in the third phase to allow for park visitation to grow and justify that investment,” Royster wrote.
“One other topic that we discussed is the cabin design. After further consideration, they believe building two-bedroom cabins that have kitchens and bathrooms would be the most successful,” Royster wrote. Two groups of eight cabins is the number needed to attract family reunions.
City Council also discussed a Grand Island Fire Department grant application to the Assistance to Firefighter grant program, The application would be for approximately $50,000, with a $5,000 match required that would be funded by Fire Department operating funds. Fire Chief Cory Schmidt said that the grant would be for the dive-rescue team, which is housed in the Grand Island Rural Fire Department. Schmidt said there is a decline in volunteers to serve on the dive-rescue team. The grant would be used to purchase dive rescue equipment and to pay for training costs to help the city Fire Department mobilize a team of six to eight divers.
