Happy Wednesday! Megan here.
Weather check: It's either 100º or thunderstorms, I guess
This week, we're counting down the days until Sioux Falls' newest (and largest) park is set to open. Plus, we've got some new information on what a downtown convention center might cost Sioux Fallsians. Oh, and don't miss our event guide that's just chock full of summer fun!
And now, news:
CITY
What would it cost to build a downtown convention center?
Simplified: The city would have to spend between $225 and $250 million to build a new downtown convention center that would likely still operate at a deficit, according to a draft report from Johnson Consulting presented to the Riverline District Steering Committee on Tuesday afternoon.
Why it matters
- The City Council in December voted to spend $8 million to purchase a roughly 8-acre parcel of land near the 10th Street viaduct with plans to build a downtown convention center.
- Since then, Mayor Paul TenHaken has become more vocal about the need for this project to have community support – culminating in a meeting earlier this year in which the mayor called for a third-party organization to step up and take over leading the project forward.
- But none of that passing-of-the-baton is going to move forward until the city gets its next full report from Johnson Consulting – a Chicago-based group hired back in March 2023 to determine the "highest and best use" of the Riverline District property.
- A draft of that report was presented to the steering committee Tuesday afternoon, outlining, for the first time publicly, the potential financials of the project. That includes costs to build, ongoing operational costs, revenue projections and an estimated potential economic impact of as much as $55.8 million per year.
"The opportunity of the land you have available with Riverline is really a generational opportunity," Johnson Consulting Principal Brandon Dowling told committee members.
Ok, back up a second. Why a convention center? Don't we already have one?
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- The biggest park is coming. Jacobson Plaza is on track to open next week, as early as Monday, according to city staff. The facility will be home to the city's largest park, a splash pad, a dog park, and an ice ribbon (when it's not 100º outside).
- Stavem send-off. Incoming Superintendent Jamie Nold and the Sioux Falls School Board on Monday gave a heart-felt send-off to outgoing Superintendent Jane Stavem, who attended her last board meeting as head of the district. Stavem took the helm of the district in 2020, navigated the pandemic, implemented district-wide behavior programs, instigated several community partnerships and worked to – as she consistently put it – make Sioux Falls the "best district in the nation."
- "You have worked tirelessly to provide equitable opportunities to help our students maximize their individualized potential to launch them into their futures," Nold said.
- In addition, Board President Carly Reiter also held her last meeting after 12 years of serving on the school board overseeing the largest district in the state.
- Get ready for fireworks!* Sioux Falls Fireworks, a local nonprofit, is gearing up for a big event on July 4 at the W. H. Lyon Fairgrounds. Gates open at 7 p.m., and you can enjoy inflatables, food trucks, live music and a flyover. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. Learn more about this free event here.
*Denotes a paid partnership.
More Super Simplified Stories
- More internships for young adults with disabilities. The Sioux Falls School District this year expanded its Project SEARCH program, which helps students with disabilities transition from school to the workforce. The last four years, the effort has been exclusively at Dow Rummel (background here), but starting in the fall, students began 10-week internship rotations at Sanford. Three young adults completed the program in the last school year.
- Next year, the goal is to double from three people to six people in the program – and ultimately eight per year, with the goal of learning practical skills to help them thrive in future jobs, according to Nikki Whiting, supervisor in the district's special education department.
- Minnehaha County has big plans. The Minnehaha County Commission on Tuesday approved a $200,000 contract with Architecture, Inc. to create a campus master plan, or, as Commissioner Joe Kippley put it, a way to "most strategically use the square footage we have" as a county and plan for future growth. With approval from the commission, Architecture, Inc. is looking to have that plan completed by March 2026.
EVENTS
Stuff to do: June 25-July 1
- Catch some decent tunes. The Levitt is hosting this year's That Sounds Decent Festival on Saturday. It's a killer line-up of local music, including headliner Soulcrate. Plus, catch a pop-up skate park along Phillips Avenue. Full details and lineup here.
- Support young entrepreneurs. The Acton Children's Business Fair will take place Thursday afternoon at Startup Sioux Falls. You can shop a variety of kid-owned businesses (including my own kid – shameless plug) and support the next generation of entrepreneurs. More details here.
- Support local artists. The June Falls Art Market will take place Saturday from 8:30 to 1:30 p.m. along N. Metli Place near 6th Street, just east of the Levitt stage. You'll be able to check out artists making a variety of fine, functional and wearable artwork. Details here.
- Eat oysters. Get a little taste of the ocean in our extremely land-locked state with Carpenter Bar. They'll be selling freshly shucked oysters Friday night. Get the details here.
- Support the zoo. It's Zoofari on Thursday evening – the zoo's annual summer fundraiser (emphasis on the "fun.") Help raise money to support animal care while enjoying good food, giraffe feeding, one-of-a-kind silent auction items and a chance to walk around the zoo without chasing your kids the whole time. Get your tickets here.
- Meet your farmer. The Sioux Falls Food Co-Op is hosting a couple of upcoming events in which folks can meet local farmers, and farmers can talk about their products. The first event takes place Thursday evening. Learn more here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
*Denotes a sponsored link
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Why Sioux Falls is creating policies for public art
Work is well underway on a set of policies that will set the framework for how the city approaches public art, murals, receiving gifts, and how it works with artists in general in the future, according to Arts Coordinator Maren Engel.
Megan Raposa
How The Banquet has been feeding the hungry for 40 years
As The Banquet celebrated its 40th anniversary this week, Executive Director Tamera Jerke-Liesinger sat down with Sioux Falls Simplified to talk about the nonprofit’s history, as well as how it’s grown and adapted to address the needs of the community over the years.
Megan Raposa
What the Mobile Market closure says about the state of nonprofits in Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls first and only mobile grocery store set out to make healthy, affordable food accessible to people living in food deserts – and it worked. But as of Tuesday, the market is closed.
Megan Raposa
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Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Live on Stage, Great Bear Ski Valley, Encompass Mental Health, the Sioux Falls YMCA, EmBe, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Barre3 Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, the Washington Pavilion, and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.
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