How Lukas Partners Helped Secure the Largest Nonprofit State Grant for Nebraska MultiSport Complex

by | Last updated Dec 12, 2025

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About CHI Health MultiSport Complex Nebraska

Client overview and results for CHI Health's news conference event for the Nebraska MultiSport Complex
The CHI Health MultiSport Complex Nebraska (formerly Nebraska MultiSport Complex) offers 12 multipurpose fields for six sports. This organization’s mission is to provide people of all ages with high-quality facilities to pursue a healthy lifestyle and competitive goals.

The Challenge

Lukas Partners needed to create excitement and community buy-in for a new sports complex in Nebraska, all while it was still under construction. We had to convince multiple audiences (from stakeholders to the public) of its value before a single field opened.

The Big Idea

Prove that CHI Health MultiSport Complex Nebraska was a shared investment in the state’s future. We would connect economic growth, healthy living and community pride into one story so that everyone could get behind this worthwhile addition to La Vista.

Our Approach

Speaker presenting at an outdoor press event for the Nebraska MultiSport Complex

Our team developed a multi-channel marketing and public relations campaign centered on a news conference that would officially reveal CHI Health MultiSport Complex Nebraska to the public. We worked closely with the Board of Directors and the Facility Executive Director Craig Scriven to align messaging with the facility’s mission.

Comprehensive Media Kit

Our media kit connected with each audience segment—potential donors, government officials, youth sports coaches, parents and local business owners—by highlighting what mattered most to them: value.

We shared research on the projected number of local and overnight visitors this complex could attract, as well as their expected impact on lodging and sales in the city. We also spoke to new job opportunities during and after construction of this building.

The media kit gave reporters and stakeholders a clear, data-backed story to share—making it easy for each audience to see why this facility was worth their attention and support.

Media Alerts & News Releases

This story needed to reach the right audiences at the right time. That’s why we created a 30-second video to quickly show what the complex would offer and what it would look like after completion. We played this video at the event and included it in the digital media kit after the event.

We distributed media alerts days before the event to build anticipation, and we sent a news release when the conference was over to give journalists everything they needed to cover the story accurately.

Event Planning & Management

Lukas Partners handled every detail to make the news conference run smoothly. We booked the location across from the construction site to show progress, rented seating and equipment from local vendors and designed custom signage for podiums and traffic flow. We also helped with setup and tear-down.

Media Training

We created and distributed invitations and event schedules for all attendees. For CHI Health MultiSport Complex Nebraska leadership, dignitaries and youth soccer participants giving remarks to the crowd and media, we provided scripts to keep their talking points on message. And we coordinated for Governor Pete Ricketts and Mayor Doug Kindig to speak at the news conference to show the local government’s support.

Social Media & Website Rebrand

We helped CHI Health MultiSport Complex Nebraska build an online presence that would outlive the event. The rebranded website and new social media accounts launched immediately after the news conference to continue the momentum of the unveiling and give people a place to further explore the project.

The Results

After the news conference, facility organizers received the largest grant possible from the State of Nebraska.

Case study results for Nebraska MultiSport Complex news conference

Get Your Grand Opening Right with Expert PR Services

Make your upcoming news conference unforgettable with PR strategies from Lukas Partners. We help nonprofits and for-profit brands in sports and other competitive industries create a social media presence, host an event, build a website and media train spokespeople. Contact us today to get award-winning public relations!

Joan is Vice President of Lukas Partners. After she earned a B.A. degree in journalism from Creighton University and a master's degree in communications from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, she spent 15 years at Conagra Foods in corporate communication management while helping to support Conagra Foundation initiatives. She handled corporate communications and donations for Oriental Trading Company. At Creighton University, she led news media relations and supported advancement initiatives.

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