Simplified: Experience Sioux Falls and Forward Sioux Falls are leading a new effort to educate the community about the need for a new downtown convention center, and unlike earlier community conversations, this time around they're looking at the possibility of building a new facility – and keeping the current one in use.
Why it matters
- A downtown convention center has been part of the public discourse for several years. In February 2024, then-Mayor Paul TenHaken unveiled a "2050 vision" that placed a new convention center east of downtown in the area the city's called the Riverline District. That plan ultimately was placed "on pause" when the committee last met over a year ago.
- Initially, TenHaken's vision was to build a new convention center and repurpose the existing building for indoor recreation. Now, though, Experience Sioux Falls and Forward Sioux Falls are looking to prove to the community that the city could sustain not only a new downtown convention center, but also continue to fill the existing one, according to Forward Sioux Falls Program Director Brittany Hanson.
- The two private entities are working together to conduct a community education campaign and listening sessions in the coming months to reignite discussions on bringing a new convention center downtown – wherever it might be, and however it might get there.
- For Teri Schmidt, executive director of Experience Sioux Falls, the decision boils down to one question: Does Sioux Falls want to be in the convention industry?
"Frankly we’re just being left in the dust," Schmidt said. "What we’re doing now is what we should be doing, and that is establishing the need, showing what we’re losing for businesses, why it affects and how it affects our community, and what we can do about it."
Why downtown?
Schmidt said the benefit of a downtown convention center is the economic opportunity. She estimates it'd bring thousands of people to Sioux Falls each year.
"They come here, they spend their hard earned money, and they leave," she said.
Hanson echoed that sentiment, adding that Forward Sioux Falls is also a natural partner in this conversation because it moves forward the goal of making sure Sioux Falls is "a great city to live, work and play in."
"The visitor industry is a huge economic driver," she said.
Is the city involved?
Not directly, no – which means, at least for now, there aren't any requirements for public meetings.
- That said, both Schmidt and Hanson said their goal is to listen to and educate the community. They've engaged local marketing agency Lawrence & Schiller to help conduct focus groups and educate the public.
"We’re listening, and we’re truly listening," Schmidt said. "We’re not just saying we have this idea, and we’re gonna slam it down."
They also acknowledge that it's important to bring the city along in these conversations – though their current work is not led by or funded by the city.
- That said, they are using a consultant report commissioned by the city's Riverline District task force.
Megan Raposa
City Finance Director Shawn Pritchett has also been engaged in the effort Schmidt and Hanson are leading to get the community on board with a downtown convention center.
Pritchett said he sees the existing convention center as serving the Sioux Falls community well, but that it's functioning more as an expo center for locals rather than a draw for out-of-towners.
What will a new convention center cost?
The numbers haven't yet been shared, and the goal of Schmidt and Hanson is to start with the "why" in explaining the need for a new downtown convention center before getting into the specifics of what that might look like.
- Previous estimates from the Riverline District task force looked at between $225 and $250 million. That same consultant report estimated an annual economic impact of $55.8 million. That data is from a report shared over a year ago, though, so it's hard to know if/how it'd change.
Megan Raposa
Where would a downtown convention center go?
There isn't a set location, and that's part of the point at this stage, as both Schmidt and Hanson noted.
That said, there are a number of possibilities, including the Riverline District. And, in the last year since the Riverline District task force disbanded, the city has seen more opportunities for redevelopment downtown – particularly with the announcement of Smithfield moving its pork processing plant to Foundation Park and paving way for a new "Sanford District."
Megan Raposa
What happens next?
Two open houses are scheduled in the coming weeks to get more input from the public and share the vision for a downtown convention center.
- The first is from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
- The second open house will run 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2 at the downtown library.
The public will also be invited to share their feedback online through a website expected to launch later this week.
"We’re falling so far behind," Schmidt said, adding this process is about listening to the community. "I want people to be able to talk to us and to understand. We’re not in 'fight mode' at all. We’re in the, 'let's help people understand really what a loss it is for our community to not have a larger convention center.'"
