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| Taking part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Keystone Hotel renovation project are, from left, Jeffrey Hicks of 21 CSI, Sen. Ben Nelson, Rex Nelson of the McCook Economic Development Corp., Kurt Fritsch of the City of McCook and Jim Ulrich of the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce and Community Hospital. |
The kickoff celebration for the renovation of the Keystone Hotel into the Keystone Business Center occurred Wednesday afternoon at the historic site on Norris Avenue.
The hotel will be renovated to house the offices of 21st Century Systems Inc., the McCook Chamber of Commerce and the McCook Economic Development Corp., as well as provide a business incubation center.
The project is being led by the McCook Economic Development Corp. MEDC Director Rex Nelson predicted the project will have a positive economic impact on the community in the form of job creation and expansion, promoting entrepreneurship, and downtown revitalization. "This project represents that McCook is saying 'No' to decay and defeat. McCook is alive and well. Downtown is alive and well."
The project has been almost four years in the planning stages and Nelson thanked the many individuals and organizations who were and are a vital component to seeing this project through.
Those mentioned included former owners Joan and Dale Stewart; the Economic Development Administration who awarded the project about $2 million in federal grants; W Design Associates; Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office; the United States Department of Agriculture who has granted about $75,000 for technology and computers for the Entrepreneurship Center; the local banking community -- McCook National Bank, AmFirst, First Central and Wells Fargo -- which provided a loan for the project; the City of McCook; general contractor EAD Constructors of Omaha; McCook Community College, and 21st Century Systems Inc.
Chairman and CEO of 21CSI, Jeffrey Hicks, was also at the celebration, and reiterated his commitment to the McCook division of the company. Hicks shared that he is also from a small town and the idea of a "silicon prairie" in which to grow the company was appealing. Hicks estimated that about 50 people will be employed by 21CSI in McCook after the expansion. U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, who was instrumental in convincing Hicks to locate a division of his software application company in McCook, also addressed those gathered.
Sen. Nelson recalled entering the Keystone Hotel as a young boy growing up in McCook and making presentations to the Rotary Club about his activities in Boy Scouts and Cornhusker Boys State. "The Keystone will be a big part of future development -- just as it was an important part of prior development," said Sen. Nelson.
According to Rex Nelson, "We will have another celebration in about one year. At that time, the heat will be on and the paint will be fresh."
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When I was a small child, probably 5-6 years old, my mother, Carrie Mae (Rowland) Walter, worked at the hotel as a maid. I often went to work with her.
My memories of those days is limited, but I do recall my fasination with riding on the elevater.
A marble salesman, who must have stopped there often, grew fond of me and gave to me a leather drawstring bag of marbles, including "precious" agggies (agates). I still have some of them to this day, some almost 80 years later!
Nostalgicaly , Ray Rowland