SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - A consulting group recommends that Sioux Falls make at least $2.4 million in renovations to its more than 50-year-old arena to attract more events.
Sioux Falls hired Conventions, Sports and Leisure International to study the city’s publicly owned entertainment venues. The group told the City Council Tuesday that the Sioux Falls Arena is structurally sound, but nearing the end of its life expectancy, the Argus Leader reported .
CSL principal John Kaatz said the facility doesn’t meet the needs of touring performances in a changing entertainment industry.
“There’s back of house issues … that are very problematic - space for performers and for the attendees,” he said. “If the event producer were talking here, walking into the venue, they’d say, ’I don’t think I can come here. You’ve got good bones but you don’t have all the assets that we need.’”
The group’s report recommends investing between $2.4 million and $5.2 million to make the arena fully functional for modern touring acts. The arena needs a ceiling grid system, new retractable seating and renovations to portions of the facility, said Kaatz.
Investing closer to the lower end of the suggested range will generate enough additional revenue to make the upgrades cost neutral by attracting more events, he said. Investing beyond that amount would improve quality of life in the city, but wouldn’t directly be recouped with more shows, Kaatz said.
“Anything over that ($2.4 million) is what we do for the residents of the community to create a greater quality of life. There’s value in that as well,” he said. “But I can commit to you that at a minimum, $2.4 million is economically sound.”
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Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
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