Winner building projects give residents hope amid drought, city officials say.
With work set to begin on a $23 million expansion sometime this year, construction nearly complete on a new outdoor equipment store and the town’s Dairy Queen set to reopen soon following thousands of dollars worth of repairs, there’s a lot for residents to look forward to, Winner City Finance Officer Rhonda Augspurger said.
"With no rain, that doesn’t help people’s morale.
And although farmers seem to be remaining optimistic, Brozik said the struggles can be draining for everyone.
But not in Winner.
Runnings — an outdoor, farm and home store — announced in March plans to open a new, 60,000-square-foot location in Winner, adding approximately 20 jobs.
Meanwhile, Winner Regional Healthcare’s major project hit a snag in May when bids came in higher than expected, forcing hospital officials to send the project to bid a second time.
The goal — according to Foundation Director Jody Engel — is still to break ground in 2017, which is a year after the initial proposed starting date.
The renovation, now with no definitive beginning date from officials, is expected to include a 28,000-square-foot expansion to the facility, along with another 16,000-square-foot overhaul to its current structure.
"It’s always exciting when you have the kind of growth we have in Winner," Brozik said.