Oelwein Event Center

14/12/2023

Join us for a tour of the building to see the progress of the construction!

17/11/2023

Adam Gregg, Iowa Lt. Governor, toured the Oelwein Event Center project and discussed the project with committee members.

Every day there are new things to see inside and out at the project!

17/11/2023

Cornerstone Inn and Suites has made a donation of $25,000 to the event center project! They are a proud supporter of Oelwein and to this project! Pictured is Sam Ott, Cornerstone Inn & Suites Manager, with event center committee members Curt Solsma, Sarah Lewis, Jim Kullmer and Nate Schares.

16/11/2023

Another proud supporter of the event center project! Brian and Wendy Irvine of Ken's Electric, $25,000 donation!

15/11/2023

There has been lots of progress in the last couple of months, but finally the new windows are being installed tgat we've all been waiting for!! Walls going up inside, dry ice blasting, floor grinding and cleaning and lots more!

We are taking a lot of reservations for 2024 and even into 2025! If you have an event coming up, don't wait to get your reservation made!

07/11/2023

We offer electrical, heating, cooling, geothermal, generator and solar installation.

04/08/2023

Thank you Jeremy and Jenni Birdnow of Birdnow Motor Trade for your donation and for being proud of investing in Oelwein!

"As a business owner, you need to help support the community your business is in and the people that support your business" I believe are the exact words my wife said to me while we were discussing contributing to the Oelwein Event Center. No truer words spoken...Jenni and I were happy to present the check today and look forward to watching the progress made and ultimately utilizing the space in the future! Congratulations to everyone who has put so much time and effort into making this project happen!! Proud to be part of this great community!

01/08/2023

We did it! Thank you to our customers, employees, and everyone else who helped us reach our donation goal for the Oelwein Event Center!!

26/06/2023

We are excited to be at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oelwein Event Center this morning!

16/06/2023

Birdnow Motor Trade has 4 great American brands under one roof.
We are NE Iowa's premier certified p

15/05/2023

Please mark your calandars and join us if you can! We would love to tell you about our project!

21/04/2023

Last night we had a public gathering for the Event Center at Ampersand! Thank you to everyone who attended! We presented updates on the progress of the renovation and fundraising efforts! We will be hosting more events, so watch this page for the next gathering!

20/04/2023

Reminder of the gathering tonight!

06/04/2023

We are excited that we will be a part of the funding provided for great projects around the state of Iowa! Thank you to the Enhance Iowa Board for voting in favor of our funding request!

05/04/2023

The Oelwein Event Center committee is hosting a public gathering at Ampersand! Please attend if you would like to learn more about the facility!

31/03/2023

The Fayette County Community Foundation (FCCF) held its 2023 grant awards celebration in partnership with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa at the Waucoma Event Center yesterday, announcing the distribution of $146,235.41 to 18 projects of organizations serving Fayette County through its 2023 grant cycle.

Congratulations to the following organizations on their grant awards!

City of Oelwein/Oelwein Public Library: Outdoor Musical Instrument Garden
Larrabee School Foundation of Clermont: Storm Window Restoration
Oelwein Event Corp: Oelwein Event Center
The St. Lucas Historical Society: German American Museum Roof Restoration
Williams Center for the Arts: Sound and Video Equipment Upgrades
City of Waucoma/Waucoma Fire Department:Turnout Gear
Hawkeye Fire and Rescue Association: New Fire Station
Oelwein Chamber & Area Development: Oelwein Sesquicentennial Celebration
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois: Girl Scout Leadership Program in Fayette County
Otter Creek Animal Shelter: Cat Condos for Expansion
Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC): Lead Professional Certification in Fayette County
Elgin Emergency Medical Services/Elgin Area Ambulance: Elgin EMS Equipment
Friends of CMH Foundation: Bladder Scanner
RISE, Ltd.: Frederick House Replacement
SEMS Ambulance: Recertified ZOLL Monitors
Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging: Fayette County Congregate and Home Delivered Meals Program
Oelwein Area Council of Churches: Oelwein Area Kitchen Cupboard Food Supplement
Plentiful Pantry: Plentiful Pantry Capital Project

Additional information about the Fayette County Community Foundation can be found at www.fayetteccf.org.

10/11/2022

Event Center Project Fundraising Crosses $1,000,000 Threshold!

The effort to build a new Event Center for Oelwein crossed an important milestone recently as cash donations and pledges have surpassed $1,168,000. The fundraising goal has been set at $3,200,000. The amount raised has been from a combination of local businesses, individuals, foundations, and government entities.

The Oelwein Event Corporation that is leading the project is a non-profit 501(c)3 limited liability corporation, meaning it can accept charitable donations for the project. The organization is accepting many forms of donation, including cash, pledges, stocks, direct deferrals from retirement accounts, grain, and in-kind contributions.

It is important for potential investors to know that the project is accepting cash as well as pledges, especially as the end of the year is approaching and tax planning is beginning. Pledges may be paid in a lump sum or over a period up to five years.

The next important level the committee is trying to reach comes at $2,080,000. When this level of commitment is reached, the project becomes eligible to apply for grants from the State of Iowa Community Attraction and Tourism program. This program could provide funds of up to $800,000 toward the project. The committee will be submitting an application as of December 31, 2022, so the next two months of fundraising will be critical.

The committee is working with their architects for the next phase of planning, putting together final floor plans, assembling a final budget, putting the project out for bids and selecting a general contractor to oversee the construction.

If you are interested in contributing to the project, would like more information, or would like to meet with committee members for an in-depth discussion, please contact Jim Kullmer at Community Bank of Oelwein at 319-283-4000 or Deb Howard at Oelwein Chamber and Area Development at 319-283-1105.

01/07/2022

BIG CHANGES COMING TO OELWEIN - PART FIVE

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

After several revisions to the proposed renovations to the Carnall building, the budget for the event center has been set at $3,200,000. Community Bank of Oelwein kicked off the project with a commitment of $250,000 toward the project. $50,000 was donated in late 2021 and the remaining $200,000 will be paid as a matching contribution to other donations received.

The committee is putting together a casebook describing the project, its benefit to the community, and renderings of the facility. Once completed, the fundraising efforts will begin in earnest. It is the intention of the committee to meet with potential donors on a face-to-face basis so that any questions about the project can be answered thoroughly.

We are looking for support from all aspects of the community. A combination of contributions from businesses, individuals, charitable foundations, and government grant programs will be used to fund the project.

There will be several naming opportunities available throughout the event center based on the level of giving. This will provide donors a chance for recognition for their commitment to the community of Oelwein and its future. Recognition will be given to all donors as part of a recognition wall.

Contributions can be paid over a five-year installment period.

The Oelwein Event Corporation is a non-profit organization, specifically set up to be able to accept charitable contributions to the project. The tax status of donations will need to be confirmed with the donor’s tax advisor.

The Oelwein Event Committee is looking to have an 80% commitment of the necessary funds before construction can begin. A potential completion date of late summer 2023 is the current goal, depending on fundraising and availability of materials and labor.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Your support for this important project is critical! You can make the difference for your community. Small towns like Oelwein need amenities like the event center to differentiate themselves from other small towns. We need reasons for visitors to come to Oelwein and invest their money into our community. This event center has the potential to be a regional draw, not just a local one. Please help keep Oelwein moving forward and be a vibrant community that has more to offer than anywhere else in the region.

If you would like more information about the project, how you can help, or to make your pledge, please contact one of our committee members listed below.

Jim Kullmer, Community Bank of Oelwein
Deb Howard, Oelwein Chamber and Area Development
Curt Solsma, Edward Jones Financial Services
Bryce Bentley, Ridihalgh, Fuelling, Snitker and Weber
Sarah Lewis, Community Bank of Oelwein
Tracy Cummings, Oelwein Daily Register
Andrew Miller, Miller’s Construction, Inc.
Josh Ehn, Oelwein Community Schools

29/06/2022

22/06/2022

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07/10/2021