BENNINGTON, Neb. (WOWT) - People in Bennington started talking about this project three years ago.

“We’re just so excited this is really going to happen.”

Nancy Neumeyer donated 20 of the 50 acres between 156th Street and Bennington Road. That’s where Neumeyer Farm, park, and athletic complex will be built.

The 50-acre complex will have seven full-size athletic fields for the town’s football and soccer clubs.

“All the elementary schools and all the building has not kept up with fields and it’s very needed,” said Neumeyer.

Bennington is growing, new homes are being built around the town. A new school is under construction and the fire department has hired full-time firefighters to protect the growing community.

Bennington officials are counting on donations from people who live in town and local organizations to help raise the $10 million to build the complex. The town’s soccer club and Bennington youth football kicked in a combined total of $300,000.

“We have some fantastic people in our offices that are working on grants so we don’t have to just rely on our community right here for all the goods,” said Zac Johns.

Bennington Mayor Zac Johns says this project will have something for all ages, walking trails, tennis courts, and maybe even a dog park. Officials say they are not concerned that the athletic field in the $10 million project are located in a flood plain.

“Nothing better than soccer fields and football fields and flat fields in flood planes. We’re willing to work with the area we’ve got there. We’re very fortunate we’ve got an elevated area that’s out of the flood plain and flood way now.”

The mayor is hoping the soccer fields will attract soccer tournaments and other events that will help the town’s economy. He also hopes this project will attract even more people to this already growing area.

“We’ve got room to grow, I’m excited we’re ahead of that growth now a little bit with this opportunity. I think this will be very attractive.”

The project will be built in phases with the construction of the first phase beginning in the spring. Other phases will follow as soon as funds are available.

“It’s going to bring many many people from outside our community into our community on a regular basis and that’s really important for our community and economic development especially since this is so close to our downtown area and the heart of our economy,” said Johns.

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