Gov. Pete Ricketts and the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday for the Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home in Kearney. Ricketts said the project was a team effort and demonstrates the spirit of Nebraska.

“We seek to make Nebraska the most veteran and military friendly state in the country,” Ricketts said. “With the Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home we are living up to that promise to remember to take care of our veterans.”

New staff members led visitors on tours around the 225-bed, 330,000-square-foot (30,650-square-meter) facility. The campus is comprised of six neighborhoods, which each feature three homes that can accommodate 12 to 15 veterans in private rooms.

The facility has a special care unit, a skilled care unit and an independent living area. There’s also a chapel and physical therapy room.

The project moves the veterans home from Grand Island to Kearney.

“It’s going to be a different location which is something to look forward too,” said veteran Patricia Abbott. “We’re each going to have our own bathroom and it looks like we are going to have bigger rooms.”

Jose Trejo, a current resident at the Grand Island home, said the new Kearney facility is better.

Residents are scheduled to move into it in the fall.