Minnesota Veterans Cemetery Director speaks to Preston group Monday night about new Southeast Minnesota veterans cemetery

Over 150 people heard David Swantek speak Monday night at the Branding Iron in Preston (Photo by decorahnews.com's Paul Scott)

It's being built in Southeastern Minnesota, but it will also have a big impact on veterans in Northeast Iowa.  It's a new 169-acre veterans cemetery now under construction in the Preston area.

Monday night some 155 people attended the annual dinner of the Preston Area Community Foundation to hear Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Cemetery Director David Swantek discuss what the cemetery will mean to the area.

Just the construction of the cemetery will be a big boost to the area economy.  Swantek says the veterans cemetery will cost over $10 million to construct.  That's because federal veterans affairs officials want a cemetery that will serve the needs of area veterans for at least 50 years.

But more than the economic impact the cemetery will have is the impact it will have on veterans in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

(decorahnews.com will post a series of news stories starting Monday on the cemetery and its impact on Northeast Iowa)