BBDC & Tourism Annual Report

Box Butte Development & Tourism

Annual Report

Chelsie Herian

Executive Director

It has been my absolute pleasure to serve you the last 10 years and I look forward to continuing as the Executive Director. It has been a personal goal of mine to meet or exceed Ellen Lierk's time as the Director of BBDC. However, I will say, in the past 10 years, economic development has evolved. As an organization, we continue to take on more and more. Not because we want to, but because it is necessary. Housing, Early Childhood Development, Workforce Development, Transportation, Tourism, Business Retention & Expansion. That is just to name a few but we partner on many other things too.

We all know this Pandemic has created a lot of obstacles this past year, but for the most part our businesses have persevered by simply pivoting. Not a complete 180* but maybe just a quarter turn. Some of the things we've learned are if you're not online, you should be, and if you are online, make sure you are posting regularly and keeping your website current. No one likes outdated information.

The fact we are all so mobile today, it makes it even more important. Because of that, I made a suggestion to the City's LB840 program to create a Digital Facade grant to assist those who needed to create a web presence or enhance what they already had. We had 6 businesses take up this offer, Steph's Studio, Panhandle Trails Public Transit, Korner Grill, West Side Events Center, POSH, and Dave's Pharmacy. Also along these lines, we were lucky enough to partner with the Alliance Chamber in a Grant from USDA to have GROW Nebraska assist with online presences and sales platforms. Come soon, many of our attractions will be able to sell souvenirs and merchandise online.

Other LB840 activities from 2020 included partnering on projects from Carter's Home Hardware & Appliance and Jelinek Custom Cleaning. City Council also recently passed adding Early Childhood Development as a Qualifying Business to our Economic Development Plan. That brings the LB840 forgivable and non-forgivable loans to just over $168,000+ in 2020.

In Hemingford, I was able to assist the Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) with implementing a Storefront Improvement Grant. It is similar to the Alliance Facade Grant we have for downtown. We had 12 successful applicants and some have already made improvements with their $1000 grant. Those businesses include, 3 Little Birds Health & Healing House, Barb's Blossoms, Bubba's Bar & Grill, Buchheit Precision, Dave's Pharmacy, Farmer's Co-op, Hartman Electrolysis, Hemingford Community Federal Credit Union, Lux Salon, Sorensen Irrigation, Table Top Meats, Inc., and The Body Shop.

The Village of Hemingford also completed their $1.2M Street Project and then launched their Solar Farm Project on September 21st! They are currently raising funds for a Splash Pad addition to the pool and donations may be dropped off at the Village Office.

As mentioned throughout my report, most of our local businesses are growing and diversifying their products or services. Entrepreneurs still exist and they're becoming more creative by the day. Overall, our weakest links right now are workforce and housing. The end of 2019 we updated our Box Butte County Labor Study and we are in the final stages of our 2020 Box Butte County Housing Study update. These are both high priority topics for BBDC. Like the state, we could all use a 10% increase in population.

We are making strides in Talent Attraction but hope to expand those initiatives and partner with others. Let me know if this is of interest to you and your business. We welcome more ideas. You will notice in the chart down below, we have been all over the board during COVID.

I want to end on a positive note and give a special SHOUT OUT. One fairly normal event in 2020 was the Box Butte County Fair. A special THANKS to all the our Fair exhibitors, volunteers, fair board, fair superintendents, 4H council, UNL Extension Staff and BUYERS!!! These kids took a risk by purchasing animals early in the year in hopes by August they would get to exhibit and sell. Thanks to you all, they did! It was even a record setting sale and due to the times, that's amazing! Thank you - Thank you - Thank you!

Finally in closing, due to COVID we might not see as much of each other but I am still available. Give me a call or request a 1-on-1 Zoom chat. I'm even open to a virtual coffee anytime too! Also, just a reminder that I still work out of Hemingford on Tuesday's. Thanks for another great year, despite the circumstances, and I look forward to working for you and with you into 2021.

Recap of 2019-2020 Accomplishments:

Updated Box Butte Co. Labor Study (November 2019)
Updated Box Butte Co. Housing Study (November 2020)
Alliance Received Nebraska Dept. of Economic Development Certified Community status again in 2020 (update every 5 years)
Assisted with implementation of LB840 Digital Facade Grant (LB840)
Assisted with the addition of Early Childhood Development as a Qualifying Business to our LB840 program
Assisted Hemingford Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) with the Storefront Improvement Grant
Completed 3 years of Perfect Blends w/ BBDC (our monthly coffee - second Tuesday each month) - COVID did effect these in 2020
Assisted with Cares Act Funding for area businesses
Advocated for Broadband Expansion
Spoke to area youth about leadership and entrepreneurship
Granted two Downtown Facades: 210 Box Butte & 313 Box Butte, Alliance

2020-2021 Goals going forward:

Pursue NeDED Leadership Certified Community recertification for Hemingford 2021
Continue monthly coffee's - Perfect Blend w/ BBDC - but morph into Zoom "Coffee Talks" when unable to meet in person
Assist our businesses with Talent Attraction & Community Tours
Partner on Housing Development
Foster Growth in Entrepreneurship
Assist partners with Youth Entrepreneurship opportunities
Create Podcasts and Video Marketing - Tell our story and become a more welcoming community - we have so much to celebrate!
Resurrect Leadership Development opportunities
Explore the viability of a Co-Work space for Entrepreneurship
Continue to assist Existing Business grow and diversify

Tourism Report

Amity Palmer

Director of Tourism

As your new Director of Tourism for Box Butte County I want to say a heartfelt thank you for the warm welcome I’ve received from all of you and the communities here. I’m no stranger to small town life after being raised in a town of 1,200 and lived in a couple of small Nebraska towns before staying in Lincoln for about 25 years. This is a wonderful new chapter for my family! My husband Jerad is an Alliance native and returned to fill the spot as Director of Golf for Sky View Golf Course. Our daughter Leala is 6 and attending IELS. We are elated to have her close to more family and are enjoying our new home.

2019-2020 ACTIVITIES:

Activity report airs on KCOW AM/FM 2x per week (Monday & Friday around 9:50 a.m.)
Hosted Grow Nebraska meeting to collaborate with attractions for training on Google/social media updating to increase accuracy & reach, prepare for launch of E-commerce sites to sell gifts & souvenirs year-round online to generate increased annual revenue & more visitors to our area
Continuing more frequent meetings with Hospitality & Attractions Committee & added 5 new this year with Sandhills Drive-in, Brewery 719, Rainbow Motel, Jeske’s Over the Hill Campground, and Sky View Golf Course
Created new website for Carhenge & geofenced (proximity messaging) in partnership with Eagle Radio targeting multiple states, other attractions, & even Stonehenge in England
Carhenge won prestigious Trip Advisor 2020 Award & is listed as a “Top 10 Attraction Worldwide”
Partnered with Rise Above Media Productions, Fluegge Consulting, Dobby’s Frontier Town, Alliance Chamber of Commerce, Nebraska Tourism Commission, Western Nebraska Tourism Coalition, Trip Savvy, David Eichler Photography, & Thrillist Magazine for adding new media, various marketing, created & implemented new donation processes, & collaboration running a social media page with ad creation for all of Western Nebraska
Designed/Partnered with the following for Box Butte County Tourism print & digital ads in: Nebraska Life, Colorado Life, American Road, True West, Visit Nebraska, Alliance Arts Council, Certified Folder/Visitor Tips, Nebraska Traveler, Kimball Visitor Center, Alliance Times Herald/Hemingford Ledger, Eagle Radio/KCOW, Star-Herald, & KNEB

Goals ahead:

Audio/visual GPS led tours of all local attractions
position attractions for year-round sales via E-commerce
continue to modernize attractions via donation acceptance
web & social media
continue increase of social media & digital ads
create quarterly Tourism Newsletter
obtain marketing & improvement grants
complete plan to disperse local grant funds to our attractions for events
build new picnic & play area with pet amenities at Carhenge for enhanced visitor experience
partner with KAB & Park & Tree Board along with any other entities to further improve our area for locals & visitors alike

Use our #Hashtags when posting on the web!

#OurAlliance

#HemingfordisHome

#VisitAlliance

2019-2020 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS:

Alliance -

Carter's Home Hardware & Appliance (relocation)

Alliance Community Pharmacy (relocation)

Longevity Massage & Wellness

Rolling Prairie Disc Golf Course

A-Town Zesto's

Seasons of Hope Counseling, LLC

No Loose Ends Salon

Denver Air Connection

Jelinek Custom Cleaning

JM & Associates merged with Johnson & Assoc. CPA's

Smiles by Giles merged with Alliance Family Dental

O'Reilly Auto Parts

Hemingford -

Local Gift Boutique & Tea Lounge

Bubba's Bar & Grill

Little Garden Child Care

BBGH: Hemingford Clinic

Hemingford Dental Clinic - new ownership

New Solar Project completed and energized September 21, 2020 - Hemingford

2019-2020 AWARDS

Tourism Partner of the Year

is given to a partnership, business, or individual for their creative involvement in event creation, promotional efforts, visitor attraction and community enrichment.

Becci Thomas, Knight Museum & Sandhills Center

Entrepreneur of the Year

is given to an individual or partnership that has shown strength and progress toward the mission of Box Butte Development Corporation. An entrepreneur has relocated, developed or expanded a business for the betterment of Box Butte County

Brian Jelinek - Jelinek Custom Cleaning, Inc.

Small Business of the Year

recognizes the importance of constant, committed work needed for a positive direction in increasing the vitality of the area through retention, relocation, beginning or expanding a business, and the creation of jobs.

Carter's Home Hardware & Appliance, Greg & Lisa Carter

Large Business of the Year

GNMSS - Hemingford Clinic

***Photo's with recipients to be in next months E-News

New Hemingford Clinic pictured below

2020-2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Barb Straub, Village of Hemingford

Bart Moseman, Farmers Co-op

Blanche Randolph, Dave's Pharmacy

Dawn Butcher, Westco

Dr. Carmen Simone, WNCC

Dustin Chester, Farmers State Bank

Jim Bargen, Box Butte General*

Mike McGinnis, County Commissioners

Troy Unzicker, Alliance Public Schools

Wren Wilcox, Dairy Queen

NEWLY ELECTED:

Jake Andersen, Parker-Hannifin*

Trabor Bauer, Ag Producer*

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE - RETIRING DIRECTORS:

Chris Mischnick, Mischnick Contractors & Builders

John McGhehey, Alliance Development Corp.

Matt Lakes, Parker-Hannifin

*newly elected to 1st or 2nd term

2019-2020 INVESTORS & PARTNERS

THANK YOU for your investment in the future of Economic Development here in Box Butte County. All partners are guaranteed that their contribution plays a critical role in the positive change of our local economy. When one is successful, we are all successful. ~Chelsie Herian, BBDC Executive Director