New Arena for Sioux Falls

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

Hopefully people here can critique this idea, as I know there are many factors involved in this, some (or many) of which I might not be aware of. It just seems to me that parking and traffic are the concerns of almost everyone I have talked to about SF building a new arena, and this site area I suggested, in my mind, seems to ease much of these concerns.

While it is true that an "Outskirts of Town" location makes sense at first glance, this is some extremely valuable residential real estate. It's interesting how all the outskirts plans seem to be north of town.

IMO, the reasons that the city is looking at two location possibilities (downtown and Arena) is that by putting it in those locations you will get a huge boost in sales tax revenues--downtown more so than the arena. And commercial property values in the area will go up--which equals more money into the coffers that than can then be plowed into other projects.

By putting it on the outskirts of town, the vast majority of visitors will come to the facility, attend the event, and be on the interstate on their way home 3 minutes later without having spent a dime in the city. And it would bring down property values of the homes in the area--meaning less money in property taxes.

To me, it's not that hard to get downtown. A lot of people in Sioux Falls work down there, and they seem to get back and forth without the world coming to an end.

Yeah, it might take an extra 20 minutes to get out of there after an event, but a lot of people would say to themselves, "hey, instead of fighting this traffic to get outta here, let's stop in (insert restaurant or bar name) and get a bite to eat or have a beer." Get enough people to do that, and pretty soon you have a pretty hoppin' downtown atmosphere.

The idea of a downtown facility is really a no brainer from a city perspective, if you take out the whole public vote thing.

The events held in the arena will be the attraction, not the location.

Would anybody honestly say, "If the Summit tourney was at a downtown location, I don't think I would attend. Goldarnit, that traffic and stoplights would ruin the games." The same could be said for concerts, conventions, etc. You might even get some walk-up customers at a downtown arena--once the nightlife heats up a little.

[MikeHenriksen]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

The biggest downside of moving the baseball stadium and building a new arena in its place is, of course, you're building two new sports facilities rather than just one. Is there enough money floating around in Sioux Falls to do both, given the current economy?

No matter what you are building 2 new facilities. If you replace Howard Wood, you need a new Howard Wood.

Good points by all. While they did just remodel the Birdcage, they also have improved HW, with new lockers, Field Turf, and new restrooms and handicapped access recently. I also think, although I have no solid figures to back this up, that building a new baseball field is cheaper than building a new football field. Some have said that big events could go to USF or Augie, but their capacities can't match the 'Wood, and neither place will ever be able to host a state track meet, as an example.

JackrabbitGuy: Perhaps "outstanding, modern facility" was not the right term. Good catch. It would not have skyboxes or luxury suites. However, it would be in very solid shape for another 40 or 50 years and would still be the best high school facility in the state.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

JackrabbitGuy: Perhaps "outstanding, modern facility" was not the right term. Good catch. It would not have skyboxes or luxury suites. However, it would be in very solid shape for another 40 or 50 years and would still be the best high school facility in the state.

Better than the Dakota Dome?

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

The idea of a downtown facility is really a no brainer from a city perspective, if you take out the whole public vote thing.

I have to disagree with the "no brainer" part of this. Having separate facilities does influence how many and why type of conventions can be brought into Sioux Falls. I think we have to remember that well more than 50% of the time the facilities would be used is for convention type activities. IIRC, right now the useage is about 15% athletics and 15% concerts. To me, the "no brainer" part of the equation is how do you make the facility generate the most revenue for approximately 2/3 of its useage.

That all being said, I agree most with the following statement:

Just build it already, anywhere is fine with me but please start soon.

[filbert]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

Better than the Dakota Dome?

. . . careful . . .

[JACKGUYII]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

I guess after watching the video with Stu, Mike and Terry Baloun which I encourage people to view if you care about this issue I kind of have a little different perspective. I have been a hardcore proponent of placing the Events Center dowtown and continue to feel this way. However I do appreciate the synergy of having the convention center and new arena in the same vicinity in order to persue large conventions that would require both facilities like Pheasents Forever. I do think the greatest economic benefit for Sioux Falls is to place it downtown for reasons cited by another poster. If you have to build the new arena at the present site than I really like the idea of putting the Baseball Stadium downtown as the games are played during the best weather months and you could envision a lot of activity downtown around the ballpark on the river. I realize there is a lot of sentimental value for Howard Wood for me and other, however it would essentially be a new facility so who cares where it's built. I think the committee needs to have a unified approach or this thing DOA with the voters. I'm totally against a Fargo Dome type structure.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

And to throw another fish in the pot:

The SF Stockyards are shutting down and would the baseball field fit on that site? I know that if Morrells shut down the combined area would hold everything, but the Stockyards site has much better traffic infrastructure for getting to and out of the site than the previous downtown site will ever have.

I think if SF could have a mulligan and startover when the convention center was first built, they probably would have said to Morrells we will build you a knew facility by I90/229 and located the convention center at that area with the idea of adding the event center when the Arena got to its present state. This assumes, of course, that there are no site issues that could not be taken care regarding pollution, construction problems, etc. Phillips to the Falls would have been completed much, much earlier and downtown development would have attracted private development at a much earlier time.

[JimmyJack]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

Jacks-02: I would much rather see them move the baseball facility downtown rather than move Howard Wood. There is much more history associated with HW, and the $6.5 the school district would spend on it would turn it into a really outstanding, modern facility.

I see on KELO Mike Sullivan is saying that "everyone agrees" that moving HW is the answer. I think he is mistaken.

Has the school district said what upgrades it would undertake with that $6.5 million. I assume it includes a new scoreboard. But what else? I have found HW to be a miserable place to watch football, but I can see how, with some upgrades, it could be pretty nice.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

Has the school district said what upgrades it would undertake with that $6.5 million. I assume it includes a new scoreboard. But what else? I have found HW to be a miserable place to watch football, but I can see how, with some upgrades, it could be pretty nice.

My understanding it would be new grandstands on both sides, scoreboard and press box. Restrooms and concessions are new already.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

And yet another conspiracy theory/perspective from Stu on the Athletic Complexes in Sioux Falls.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...Id=personaDest

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

I actually agree with about 95% of what he said in the column.

The rec center was defeated primarily because many people thought that the "powers that be" didn't care what the people wanted. (Full disclosure: I voted against it because it didn't have a competition sized pool) If the commission and the Mayor/council need to get out in front of this NOW in explaining why this is not the Sanford/Sports Authority plan but what is best for the city, it may very well meet the same fate.

[FargoBison]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

My advice for you guys is to push for whatever will get passed, there has long been a group in Fargo that has wanted a downtown events center, and they could never overcome the parking and traffic obstacles. Now Fargo has two event centers on the outskirts, at least the Dome has become an economic engine for that part of town though but it is too early to tell if the hockey arena will have a similar effect. My guess is yes though since it was built largely with the help of the developer who owns that land.

[EQguy]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

since it was built largely with the help of the developer who owns that land.

I think this was the crux of stu's article today. This is being shoved through and spearheaded by Sanford because it serves a larger purpose for them. Is anything better than the right thing? In this case it might be. But I'd really like to see someone do something right because it is the right thing rather than because it benefits them.

[FargoBison]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

I'd be careful then. At first the hockey arena was going to be a private deal, a partnership between the hockey backers who have been begging for a new arena and a wealthy private developer. Of course that didn't last too long...

At first they needed a long term commitment($$$) from the schools and traveling hockey teams upfront. After that the arena had to be gifted to the park district to make it tax exempt, otherwise it would go broke. All the while they continually said it was going to have a four rink practice facility attached to it which is what youth hockey in Fargo really needed and just recently it came out that they don't have the money for that and need a 1.5 million dollar loan just to finish the main arena.

It is a beautiful arena and it has all the bells and whistles, but it was railroaded through on a ton of empty promises. Youth hockey still didn't get half of what they were promised. The developer is sitting on prime land though, the arena hosts a ton of events, and he pretty much owns all the land near it.

[FargoBison]

Re: New Arena for Sioux Falls

I do hope that you guys can get this done, it is shame that a city like SF doesn't have a decent arena. The Fargodome has been a tremendous asset to Fargo, and even though the SF arena will be different in what it is(geared towards basketball instead of football), I'm sure it will have the same kind of impact.