Frequently Asked Questions

The Ashland Wellness & Aquatics Center is a planned year-round community wellness and recreation facility designed to enhance the health, quality of life, and long-term vitality of Ashland. AWAC will bring together indoor aquatics, fitness and wellness amenities, recreation spaces, early childhood education, and community gathering areas under one roof, creating opportunities for residents of all ages to play, grow, and thrive. Developed through nearly two years of community planning and collaboration, the project represents a long-term investment in Ashland's future by supporting families, attracting new residents and businesses, and strengthening the community for generations to come.

Part of the opportunity is practical. The city's existing pool is aging and will need to be phased out, and the community has voiced a clear desire for modern, year-round recreation and wellness amenities. Rather than simply replacing what is wearing out, AWAC lets Ashland turn that moment into something far greater, a regional asset that serves more residents, more months of the year, and a broader range of needs. As communities across the region compete for families and workforce, amenities like these increasingly shape where people choose to live and work. AWAC positions Ashland to keep leading, to stay the kind of community that people want to put down roots in.

A smaller facility (or a simple pool replacement) would serve fewer people, for fewer months, with weaker financial sustainability. Combining amenities under one roof is what makes AWAC both broadly useful and financially viable — and what attracts the outside investment that makes it affordable locally 

Yes. The gymnasium and courts are designed to accommodate sports tournaments, and community and event spaces are included for meetings, gatherings, and rentals.

Yes, memberships are expected to be a core part of the operating model. Specific pricing, resident rates, scholarship or reduced-fee options, non-resident access, and hours of operation are still being developed and will be added here as decisions are finalized. Accessibility for all residents is a priority of this project.

The project is currently estimated at approximately $41 million. That figure reflects a complete, modern, year-round community wellness destination — aquatics, fitness and wellness, indoor recreation and courts, indoor turf, a walking and running track, early childhood education space, and community gathering areas, designed to serve Ashland for generations.

• The funding partnership is built from four sources:
• Private philanthropy (~$21 million) — the largest share, including a major gift of the project land plus a multi-tier fundraising campaign.
• City of Ashland bond (~$10 million) — a voter-approved local investment repaid through a half-cent local sales tax, subject to the Fall 2026 election.
• State support (~$8 million) — an anticipated award under Nebraska's Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act (SAFFAA).
• Corporate sponsorships (~$2 million) — a multi-year sponsorship and naming program.
• This partnership approach lets Ashland leverage significant outside investment while keeping the local share modest.
• Important: No increase to your property taxes. The public share of building the Center would come from the sales tax and bond, not from higher real estate taxes.

The project will be supported by a half-cent local sales tax, which Ashland voters will decide. Unlike a property tax, a sales tax is paid by everyone who shops, dines, and fills up in Ashland, including the many visitors and travelers who pass through our community along the I-80 and Mahoney corridor. That is part of what makes this plan work for residents: a facility our families will use every day is paid for in meaningful part by people simply passing through, a half cent at a time, on purchases already being made.

SAFFAA lets Nebraska return a share of the state sales tax collected across Ashland to help fund the project,  including the growth in that activity the project itself helps create. The award is subject to state review and approval.

The Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act (SAFFAA) is a Nebraska program that lets the state “turn back” a portion of the state sales tax it collects to help fund an eligible community facility over up to 10 years. For a community like Ashland, that turnback is based on the state sales tax generated throughout the city, not only at the facility itself. Under the program, approximately 25% of the state sales tax collected in Ashland would be directed toward the project.

Because that share is tied to citywide activity, it grows as Ashland grows. AWAC is expected to draw visitors, events, and new spending, which should help increase sales-tax collections over time,  and the program captures a portion of that growth, not just today’s baseline. The award (anticipated at approximately $8 million) is applied for through a formal state process and is subject to state review and approval.