State lawmakers are expecting an economic boom in western South Dakota because changes coming to Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Part of the excitement is due to the new B-21 bombers coming.
As Ellsworth Air Force Base anticipates the coming B-21 bombers, local officials are feeling a sense of optimism.
The Select Committee on Legislative Relationships with Ellsworth Air Force Base held a meeting this week to discuss what to expect.
The Air Force is buying 100 B-21 bombers to disperse between three bases, including South Dakota. As more B-21 bombers are added, B-1 bombers are going to be cycled out. Officials said to compete with China, eventually over 200 B-21s are needed.
Tom Johnson is the CEO for Elevate Rapid City. He said the economic impact is huge to the area.
“The state stands to gain tens of millions of dollars in sales excise tax revenue. The increased spending by personnel and their families will drive economic growth in our region. But beyond the financials, we must consider what we can do legislatively to support this growth," Johnson said. "In the same way the banking industry, based primarily east river and Sioux Falls, transformed the economy of South Dakota, this opportunity has the potential to do the same thing on the western side of the state. The development surrounding Ellsworth Air Force Base will be as impactful for our economy as the growth of the financial sector has been on the eastern side of South Dakota."
Johnson’s information is going to be used for decisions in the 2025 legislative session.
Despite the positive outlook, there are problems on the horizon.
Scott Landguth is the Executive Director of the Ellsworth Development Authority. He said the education system surrounding the base is “average” and this could be an issue down the road.
“Ellsworth would be a great base to add another squadron on top of what we’re already getting. But it won’t be if we have things like schools that can’t handle the additional growth there. So, the opportunities are there to continue to grow past what we’re at. But we’ve gotta stay ahead of the game, and we’ve gotta keep our eye on what’s important to the Air Force so we are not overlooked as things go forward,” Langduth said.
One specific knock against the state is the lack of preschool education in place. South Dakota is one of five states in the country that does not provide pre-school activities.
Officials expect an influx of roughly 1,500 students to the area in the coming years, most of whom will attend Douglas School District. District superintendent Kevin Case estimates that 70% of those students will attend school in Douglas. Because of the expected student increase, the district is asking the state to contribute $15 million toward construction of a new school.
Case said the school district has started a pilot program for preschools this year to start meeting those needs and help increase the state's Air Force score. He said there are plans to expand the pilot program in the future.
On the other side, the state ranks high on the Air Force's scorecard in spouse licensure. South Dakota is one of eight states considered "good" in this category. Langduth said this is in large part due to a law passed in 2019 by the state Legislature. He also said that legislation has been used as a model for other states to pass similar bills.
