City of Kearney I-80 sign, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — The Kearney city council is set to discuss a resolution that would add the establishment of a Good Life District program to the ballot for the primary election in the spring.
On the agenda for the city council’s meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24 is the Good Life District ballot question which, if approved by voters, would establish the development program.
“On July 3, 2025, the City of Kearney was notified that we received a Good Life District designation for approximately 200-acres on the north side of Interstate-80. This State-led initiative will drive tourism, support business growth, and enhance the overall quality of life for both Kearney residents and visitors,” per the City of Kearney.
“The Kearney Good Life District will be located on 200 acres of vacant land surrounding the City’s SportsPlex and will include retail, restaurant, and destination attractions developed by a private developer. Sales taxes generated within the Kearney Good Life District are rebated back to the City to assist in funding of the development,” the City of Kearney stated.
“As part of the Good Life District Economic Development Act, approved by Nebraska Legislature in 2024, the City must be granted authority, by the City of Kearney voters, to adopt a Good Life District Economic Development Program. If authorized by the voters, the City Council could then adopt the Program pursuant to Nebraska State Statute,” the City of Kearney noted.
The council can place the matter before the voters of Kearney during the Primary Election on May 12, 2026.
The question that will be on the ballot is: “Shall the City of Kearney be authorized to establish a good life district economic development program for any area within the City which is included in a good life district established pursuant to the Good Life Transformational Projects Act, and shall the City be authorized to appropriate the local sources of revenue collected within such good life district program area, which may include local option sales and use taxes and occupation taxes, established pursuant to and as permitted by the Good Life District Economic Development Act; provided that the City shall not use any property tax dollars for such program, but may appropriate sales tax receipts collected within the Good Life District and remitted by the State of Nebraska for such program?”
Kearney’s district joins four other geographical areas designated as good life districts by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development in or around the cities of Omaha, Gretna, Bellevue and Grand Island.
