Maroney Commons

Join Us on Facebook!

Becki.Mommaerts — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:33:48 +0000

Did you know you can find Maroney Commons on Facebook? "Like" us to see our lunch & dinner specials, see photos of past events in our facility as well as some of our delectable dishes, and stay up-to-date on upcoming events so you don't miss out. Also, you'll be able to take advantage of special deals made only for our Facebook followers. And, of course, we want to hear from you! We want to hear what we're doing well, and what we can do better.

Just click the picture on the left, or go to www.facebook.com/maroneycommons.

We hope to see you join us on Facebook (and in person at Maroney Commons) soon!

Sweetheart Dinner

lindseyk — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:02:04 +0000

Maroney Commons in Howard, SD is excited to announce that Elisabeth Hunstad will perform at the Sweetheart Dinner on Saturday, February 11th. Elisabeth performed at Jazz Fest in Sioux Falls in 2010 and 2011, receiving the honor of a Main Stage performance this past year. Her musical style ranges from jazz to pop to gospel and beyond.

The Sweetheart Dinner will feature a three course meal, a live performance by Elisabeth and band, and dancing. Guests will have a choice of entrees in addition to salad, bread and dessert: 8 oz filet mignon with sautéed shrimp or chicken Oscar with crab served with béchamel sauce. Tickets are available for purchase for $75/couple or $40/person.

Purchase tickets for the Sweetheart Dinner at the Windward Inn Reception Desk or by calling (605) 772-4700.

Maroney Commons Receives Award

lindseyk — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:50:46 +0000

December 1, 2011 was a day of national recognition for Howard, SD - in particular, for Maroney Commons, the restaurant, bar, hotel and conference center located on Howard’s Main Street. On this day, Maroney Commons received the 2011 Rural Smart Growth Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is one of the five distinctions the EPA awards annually to communities across the nation that used innovative policies and strategies to strengthen their economies, provided housing and transportation choices, developed in ways that bring benefits to a wide range of residents, and protected the environment.

The Maroney Commons facility itself was built in a large part by using materials gathered from the vacant Main Street buildings that were demolished to make way for this LEED Platinum building. For instance, the facility’s dining room floor was taken from the gymnasium in the old American Legion building, among many other materials, including the tin siding you see on the outside of the building.

Maroney Commons has solar panels, photovoltaic panels, a wind turbine atop the elevator tower, geothermal heating and cooling, porous outdoor pavement, rainwater capture and storage, and native landscaping. In addition to its green technologies, Maroney Commons provided new jobs to Miner County residents and is projected to bring the local economy more than $6 million per year.

The award was accepted by Randy Parry, Past President of the Rural Learning Center, and Mary Stangohr, Chair of Miner County Development Corporation in Washington D.C. A video about Maroney Commons was presented during the awards ceremony and is available to watch here (link).

Praise from EPA included, “Maroney Commons serves as a model for other rural towns looking to create vibrant community places that strengthen Main Streets, help residents learn new skills to compete in 21^st-century economy, and demonstrate environmentally responsible, energy efficient design. Its message that ‘Rural is a good investment!’ can inspire other towns around the nation.” The other communities that won Smart Growth Awards in 2011 were St. Louis, MO, Albuquerque, NM, El Paso, TX, and Normal, IL.

The Rural Smart Growth Award will be displayed in the corridor of Maroney Commons, a proud testament to the hard work and dedication of the community of Howard.

A Merry-oke Christmas at Maroney’s Bar

lindseyk — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:42:17 +0000

Maroney's Bar invites you to "have yourself a Merry-oke Christmas" on Friday, December 23rd from 9:00 pm until Midnight. The bar will be hopping with Christmas karaoke tunes! Bring your friends!

Maroney Commons presents Reza

lindseyk — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:45:44 +0000

Maroney Commons is proud to announce that REZA, world famous Illusionist, will perform in Howard on Saturday, December 17^th at 8:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now for $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Call 772-4700 or stop by the Windward Inn reception desk to reserve yours today. Only 300 tickets for the show will be sold.

Reza began his career from his hometown of Brookings, SD. At only 14 years old, he was traveling and performing shows across the Midwest. Today, Reza has performed throughout the country and world, selling out theatres from New York to Los Angeles and beyond.

The show is fast paced and family friendly. Dubbed one of the “World’s Top Illusionists” by the Argus Leader, the audience is engaged in the show from start to finish. Visit www.rezalive.com to learn more!

Maroney Commons

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:41:22 +0000

One of the most innovative new buildings in North America, Maroney Commons was conceived and built with 21^st Century design and construction techniques as a place for leaders from small towns to design and build 21^st Century rural communities.

As such, it’s the new home of a rich, vital movement among people from all corners of the United States and Canada bound by a common passion to rethink and rebuild their towns for a new generation of economic and cultural vitality. It also delivers the immediate communities of Howard and Miner County, South Dakota, a stunning new state-of-the-art facility for business meetings, retreats, wedding receptions, training, reunions and much more.

Windward Inn

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:41:13 +0000

Warm accommodations meet state-of-the-art amenities and meeting space in the Windward Inn, which offers 24 brand new, well-appointed rooms and communal space.

Guests have a choice of king or queen beds, with an ADA accessible option. All rooms include free wifi Internet access and use of the fitness center. Eight of the rooms overlook a rooftop garden featuring prairie flowers and grasses. Read more about the hotel here.

Reserve your room today at the Windward Inn.

Forecast Restaurant

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:43:18 +0000

A full-service restaurant, Forecast Restaurant offers innovative twists on familiar American cuisine. Forecast follows suit with Maroney Commons by combining the old and the new in some delightful ways that are sure to please every palate.

Rural Learning Center

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:15:04 +0000

The Rural Learning Center is on an extraordinary journey of learning and change in rural communities. We've built our organization around real progress, real people and real life. Here's our story.

Our journey began in Howard, a small prairie town in eastern South Dakota. In 1996, a group of Howard High School students took on a challenge that forever changed their hometown and the region surrounding it.

The catalyst for the students' efforts was the stark reality of a community dying around them: fewer faces, widespread poverty and a loss of hope. Through in-depth studies, the students and community realized that they were responsible for what had happened and what would happen in the future. No one else was to blame.

This humble beginning gave way to a remarkable transformation led by the people of Miner County. It is a study in the profound strength of people in rural communities; an example of what can happen when people work together to make a difference.

This grassroots movement led to the creation of Miner County Community Revitalization (MCCR), a non-profit organization that would guide Miner County forward.

In 2001, the work in Miner County was confirmed by the Northwest Area Foundation. After visiting Miner County, NWAF invested in Miner County's dreams. They awarded MCCR $5.8 million dollars over a ten year period to continue and expand the community's vision. Today, with the foundation's support, the work in Miner County is a nationally recognized model, described as "the most extraordinary rural development project in the nation." The results are truly remarkable: citizens are engaged, living wage jobs are plentiful and Main Street is bustling.

The success of MCCR has broadened beyond the borders of Miner County. MCCR is now called the "Rural Learning Center," an organization with a passion to ignite and lead a broader rural movement of deep change in small rural communities.

To learn more visit the RuralLearningCenter.org

Grand Opening LIVE!

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:07:10 +0000

Thank you for joining us for the Maroney Commons Grand Opening. If you were unable to be there on the day, you can view the video from the event below. (We were experiencing audio difficulties at the beginning of this video, so don't be alarmed if the sound is a little unpredictable at first. It will get better after a few minutes.)

If you are experiencing any difficulties with the video below, you can view it directly by clicking here