Watford City Economic Development Corporation

02/11/2026

City of Watford City Roughrider Fund
Hosted by Watford City Economic Development Corporation at the Rough Rider Center
KEYNOTE - Cory Hepola My Town Series with program guests: Lawlar Chelsea Bulzomi Doug Bolken Dale Patten and food and beverage sponsors Watford City Area Chamber of Commerce and Stonehome Brewing Co

02/11/2026

As keynote to our annual meeting and 2026 celebration of community and commerce, and with support from the City of Watford City Roughrider Fund, EDC hosted Cory Hepola , My Town Series February 5th. He visited with the WCHS students McKenzie County Public School District #1 and then keynoted our celebration Rough Rider Center with - WHATS ON YOUR BULLETIN BOARD?

Thank you to all who supported and participated and all who “stand in the arena” - the EDC membership and board is grateful for you ❤️

Watford City Area Chamber of Commerce Stonehome Brewing Co Brosz Engineering

01/30/2026

Thank you, all who came out for Coffee & Commerce this month!
We had a great hour of learning and connecting as a business community! If you missed it live, check out our panel discussion with Rough Rider Center Long X Arts Foundation
@ The Merc at Long X
@ McKenzie County Ag Expo

This quarter's Coffee & Commerce asked the question: "When workforce can live anywhere, why Watford City?"Representatives from the Rough Rider Center, Long X...

01/26/2026

📬📬📬✉️💌✉️📬📬📬

USPS 58854 Announcement & Shoutout:

🔥 PO Box 704 recieved the 2026 Rough Rider Center’s WATFORD CITY RECREATION 2026 ACTIVUTY GUIDE today.
- Did you know watfordcityparks.com has been bringing PROGRAMS, LEAGUES & EVENTS to the community for 💯years?
🔥 mcpeak shared this sweet little “ goodness gang “ card while waiting in line at the USPS. SPREAD GOODNESS day is March 13, 2026.
🔥 Invitations to renew or establish 2025 WC EDC memberships were mailed out in December. If you haven’t received one and would like to be a 2025 member, please message through PM or email: [email protected]

01/12/2026

Cory Hepola will be in City of Watford City on February 5th, spending the afternoon addressing the McKenzie County Public School District #1 students at WCHS and KEY NOTING our 2026 annual meeting and CELEBRATION of COMMUNITY & COMMERCE!

Details of the evening 👇👇👇

🎯 Watford City, North Dakota was NOT what I expected.

For decades Watford City was a quiet town of about 1,400 people in western North Dakota. But, that changed with the unexpected Oil Boom in the early 2010’s as this community grew 600% in just a few years.

Along with that growth - certainly - there came some challenges (housing, childcare, education, healthcare), however community leadership did an OUTSTANDING job capitalizing on the moment. Watford welcomed new people to town, invested in itself, and has paved a new path forward with state-of-the-art amenities everywhere.

The issue was - the term “Oil Boom” comes with negative stereotypes, so the outside world had a preconceived notion of what it was like in Watford City.

I was one of those people from the outside world.

Driving around Watford City for the very first time, I was STUNNED by all this community has to offer! After a couple of trips to town (and another one next month!), I'm so thankful for the friends we’ve made here!

AND, I'm so proud of the authentic My Town Series story that's helping the outside world understand WHY people are CHOOSING Watford City.

📺 WATCH for FREE: https://youtu.be/GbeiKFXf9OI?si=Tsv3h6GLyUH-Yram
📍City of Watford City | Hello Watford City | McKenzie County, North Dakota | McKenzie Health

01/09/2026

Please join us for the WC EDC annual meeting and celebration of COMMUNITY & COMMERCE

Key Note: Cory Hepola My Town Series

Participating Program: Dale Patten Chelsea Bulzomi County North Dakota Doug Bolken watford city

Details at www.watfordcityevents.com and in the comments 👇👇👇

12/23/2025

Have your family home for the holidays?
Do they know about the McKenzie County Job Development Authority's Housing Down Payment Assistance Program?

Turn up the VOLUME! Strike the QR code! Or inquire at the resources below.

Program Contact:
Cauy Hartel:
McKenzie County Technology and Communication Specialist
[email protected]
(701) 444-8855

Program Webpage:
https://econdev.mckenziecounty.net/grants-incentives/jda-down-payment/

12/19/2025

During this Holiday Season, our board would like to extend sincere gratitude to our membership and to the City of Watford City community. We wish each and every one of you good tidings of great joy and a blessed 2026!
Sincerely,
Jake Walters - Paramount Real Estate
Vicki Monsen - Cornerstone bank
Calli Thorne - Yellowstone River Beef
Brian Smiset - Dakota West Credit Union
Keith Olson - Williston State College
Luke Taylor - LT Enterprises
Sara Fitzpatrick - Rough Rider Center
Steve Holen - McKenzie County Public School District #1
Erin Swenson Perry - Beaver Creek Kids
Chelsea Bulzomi - Legendary Smiles
Pete Edis - McKenzie Health
Justin Voll - First International Bank and Trust
Shilo Chavez - LPL Financial
Brady Bertram - Brosz Engineering
Michelle Dekoekkoek - Weichert Realtors
Brady Monro - Nodak Mutual Insurance

11/12/2025

Watford City Rotary Club We saw you 👀 today

Thanks to you and WCHS senior, Smith, and the City of Watford City , Public Works our downtown will be LIGHTING UP this holiday season!

11/04/2025

How we get things done
Why we get things done

The PEOPLE. TOGETHER. With a SHARED VISION.
Get. Things. Done.

11/02/2025

Hope you can join in tonight and watch OUR town on My Town Series with City of Watford City
TONIGHT. See details 👇👇👇

🚨SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2 at 6:30p
📺 Watch for FREE: https://www.youtube.com/

"Cory Wonders Why So Many People Are Moving Here" | S2E1

Wondering who would want to live in western North Dakota, Cory Hepola finds himself branding cattle on a Ranch in McKenzie County, the Fastest Growing County in the USA (2010-2020). Looking around at the natural beauty, Cory bikes the popular Maah Daah Hey Trail that winds 144 miles through the Badlands near Theodore Roosevelt National Park. In town - Watford City - Cory is astonished by the world-class facilities including McKenzie Health (a top-ranked Healthcare system), the School District, the Bakken Area Skills Center, and the Rough Rider Center. Who WOULDN’T want to live here?

📍Hello Watford City | McKenzie Health | McKenzie County, North Dakota | City of Watford City | North Dakota Dept. of Commerce