Plans are now in motion for a multi-million dollar facility to be built in Howard. It would include a conference center, performing arts theater and a hotel. That could mean big changes for this small South Dakota town.

Dave Dawson has already seen changes to Howard first hand. He's owned the Corner Pantry convenience store for 15 years and he says plans for a learning center will have a huge impact.

Dave Dawson says, "We're picking up businesses and people from other communities just to come over here because we're seeing other towns close down their businesses."

A chance for Howard to survive is what generated the idea for the center ten years ago. Randy Parry is president of the Rural Learning Center.

He says not only will this center offer an opportunity for growth, but it will be energy efficient too. Randy says it's important to work together, developing plans to keep small towns from dying. He's hoping to reverse a population decrease that's been happening in the Howard area for decades.

Randy Parry says, "We get into a mentality that it's hopelessness and that it doesn't have a chance to survive we're trying to say yes you can."

It will also promote rural living and what it has to offer those who move here.

Dave likes the sound of that. It's the rural way of life that brought him here and now 45 years later, he's excited to know these plans might keep his little town around.

Dave Dawson says, "It's positive. Things are coming back to life in Howard if you want to say it that way. It's a great deal."

Fund raising for Maroney Rural Learning Center will begin January 1. If all things go as planned, they could be looking at breaking ground by June or August.