News Release North Platte/Lincoln County Visitors Bureau
Twelve organizations submitted grant applications totaling $96,536.97 for consideration at the North Platte / Lincoln County Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee’s April meeting. While the events and marketing activities included in the applications will occur in the first quarter of the 2021/2022 fiscal year, lodging tax receipts for the 2020/2021 fiscal year are down 30% from the previous year. The looming uncertainty of the pandemic and the more infectious mutations proliferating around the world necessitated very conservative awards by the Advisory Committee
The All In One Ticket promotion by the partnership of the Golden Spike Tower, Buffalo Bill Ranch State Recreation Area, the Lincoln County Historical Museum and the Cody Park Railroad Museum encourages overnight stays with discounted admission to all four attractions. This project will be funded by the Visitors Bureau in the amount of $4,006.54 for promotion, ticket printing and marketing materials.
In 2020 the North Platte Area Sports Commission was able to host the first boxing tournament in the world after the onset of the pandemic. The successful event serves as a blueprint for other events worldwide on how to conduct a tournament with no Covid-19 infections. This event returns to North Platte in July of 2021 with the expectation of four times the number of competitors. The event was awarded $4,330.93 in Sports Incentive funds.
Col Cody’s Cruise will once again welcome classic car aficionados to North Platte during the annual September event, which was awarded $300.00 for promotion activities.
Sutherland’s Longhorn Bar will host the Longhorn Musical Festival August 21 at the Sutherland Rodeo Arena featuring Randy Houser, Mark Chesnutt and D.J. Bridwell. This inaugural event of what is hoped to be an annual series was awarded $2,625.00 for promotional activities.
After extending her reign for a year due to the Covid-canceled Miss Rodeo Nebraska and Miss Rodeo America Pageants, Miss Rodeo Nebraska Joeli Walrath was awarded $1,750.00 for the cost of a full-page ad in the Miss Rodeo America Pageant book.
North Platte Rail Days went virtual in 2020 but will be a live event once again for 2021, complete with railfan-favorite bus tours of Bailey Yard. To help get the word out to rail fans that North Platte Rail Days is back, the event was awarded $6,975.00 for promotional activities.
The Platte River Cruise Night kept up community morale with numerous events in 2020. A more normal schedule is planned for 2021 with a single annual event July 9 – 11. The event was awarded $6,748 to promote the event and to pay for entertainment and appearance fees for television personalities who will attend.
North Platte’s association with Buffalo Bill and his commitment to preserving the Native American way of life makes us the perfect location for a major Pow Wow. While the first one in 2020 suffered from the pandemic, 2021 will attract a large number of participants and spectators. The North Platte Pow Wow was awarded $5,875.00 for promotion and prize money for contestants.
Pals Brewing Company in partnership with the Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild will once again host the Western Nebraska Craft Beer Festival in September. The event was awarded $2,000 for promotional activities.
The next round of funding is now open, with a July 1 deadline for events or projects occurring in October, November and December of 2021. These applications will be considered at the regular monthly Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for July 28. Anyone interested in submitting a grant application is encouraged to contact the Visitors Bureau at 308-532-4729 and discuss their project with a staff member.
The North Platte / Lincoln County Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee was established by the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners under the authority of the Nebraska Visitors Development Act and administers the annual budget set for the Visitors Bureau by the Board of Commissioners. This annual budget, funded entirely by lodging tax revenue, includes line items for grants to local events and attractions for activities that attract visitors to Lincoln County to use our visitor services.
Grant funds, marketing and operating expenses for the North Platte / Lincoln County Visitors Bureau are funded solely through the lodging taxes that are collected and remitted for overnight stays by lodging properties in Lincoln County. It is thanks to the efforts of the lodging property partners located within the county that funds are available to attract more visitors, which have a significant impact on the economic well-being of our Lincoln County communities.