A 2050 vision for the Riverline District
A visionary plan unveiled in February would boost Sioux Falls’s capacity to host conferences and events, while also supporting the well-being of kids and families in our community.
The City of Sioux Falls and Friends of the Riverline District outlined a vision for the future development of the land located near 10th Street and Cliff Avenue. The future Riverline District could include a newer and larger convention center and full-service hotel to serve Sioux Falls for the next 30 years.
Plans were also announced to repurpose the existing Sioux Falls Convention Center into a publicly accessible indoor recreation and playground center, addressing the community’s identified needs for year-round recreation and programming, indoor play and fitness facilities.
“While we have a lot of work to do before it becomes a reality, it is a vision for future generations, and I’m proud to stand alongside so many community leaders and help kickstart the work. The work to get us to this point has been collaborative—a real One Sioux Falls effort,” said Mayor Paul TenHaken.
The existing convention center was built in 1996 to accommodate a city with a population that was less than half of what it is today. Leaders recognize the need for a new convention center to meet current demand, stimulate economic growth and maintain Sioux Falls’ competitive edge in the convention center industry.
“We know public access to indoor recreation and play space is critical to the quality of life in Sioux Falls, and we also know that our community needs a modern and appropriately sized convention center,” said Lynn Forbes, Friends of the Riverline District co-chair. “This opportunity will drive growth with a full-service hotel, necessary to continue to attract business and family-friendly events to our community.”
Over the past year, the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce was proud to engage in the visioning process with Friends of the Riverline District. Initial funding partners include Forward Sioux Falls, Downtown Sioux Falls, Experience Sioux Falls and Dakota Business Finance.
True to Sioux Falls’s reputation for collaboration, 12 banks participated in funding: American Bank & Trust; American State Bank; Bank Midwest; CorTrust Bank; Central Bank; First Bank & Trust; First Dakota National Bank; First Interstate Bank; The First National Bank in Sioux Falls; First PREMIER Bank; Plains Commerce Bank; and Reliabank.
While specific details about the scope and scale of investment are pending further studies, the City of Sioux Falls plans to engage the public in the ongoing decision-making process. For more information, visit riverlinedistrict.com.
