The Gering City Council this week approved the very first two major grants of funds generated by the community’s Hotel Occupation Tax.
$11,250 was approved for the Gering Fire Department as the agency hosts the 2024 Nebraska Volunteer Firefighters Association convention this coming October, for the first time in 20 years.
Visitor’s Bureau Director Karla Niedan-Streeks told the council the funds would help pay for a welcome event, facility rental fees, meals and inner-city transportation between venues.
“We’ll bring over 200 out-of-town firefighters with families to Gering. It will generate over 250 lodging nights in our Gering hotels. It’s also a shoulder season business, meaning it’s happening in the non-peak summer tourism season,” said Niedan-Streeks. “So in addition to the lodging properties, they’ll use multiple Gering facilities, including the Gering Civic Center, the fire department (building), and Hotel 21 and Co.”
Also approved was $25,000 for the Western Nebraska Pioneers tied primarily to four special events scheduled during their regular season, including hosting an 18 and under baseball tournament in June, and a boxing event in September.
Meanwhile, the application period is now open for minor grants from the Occupation Tax fund in amounts under $10,000, with a deadline of noon on April 12. Details of that grant process can be found here.
