University of Nebraska leasing former Cabela's headquarters in Sidney

The University of Nebraska will be expanding its presence in western Nebraska by taking root in an iconic building.

Sen. Paul Strommen and Sidney-area officials last week announced that NU will lease space in the former Cabela’s corporate campus in Sidney.

“The campus that put Sidney on the map is getting a new chapter,” Strommen said during a Friday news conference that was streamed by News Channel Nebraska.

He called the announcement, “very big news for western Nebraska.”

University of Nebraska spokeswoman Cara Pesek said Monday that the university is “pleased to be a partner in a regional initiative to bring new life to the building that formerly housed the Cabela’s corporate headquarters in Sidney.”

Pesek said the university plans to use the space for “potential activities such as academic programming, extension and engagement services, entrepreneurship support, and applied research aligned with regional and statewide priorities.”

Many of the details still must be worked out. Not announced by either the Sidney officials or NU: how much space the university will be using, when programming might start or how much the effort will cost.

Both Pesek and Strommen said that “philanthropic commitments” will help pay for the startup and early occupancy costs for the university.

The Cabela’s campus, which totals more than 450,000 square feet over two buildings on 34 acres, has been mostly vacant since Bass Pro Shops bought Cabela’s in 2017 and laid off most of the company’s 2,000 Sidney employees.

A local company called 59 Properties bought the campus in May of last year for $1.5 million. According to media reports, 59 properties has already helped redevelop three other former Cabela’s properties in Sidney.