Rapid City will soon have a new events center. On Tuesday, 64 percent of voters approved the proposal.
For years, Rapid City has played a large role in hosting South Dakota high school championship events. They’ve hosted everything from the All-State Band concerts to state basketball tournaments.
South Dakota High School Activities Association Assistant Executive Director John Krogstrand said his organization has been in close conversations with Rapid City officials about the new events center.
He said with construction imminent at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center over the next few years, he doesn’t anticipate that it will alter any current plans for high school sponsored events at the venue.
"We won’t have any interference with construction. We’ll continue to be in the Barnett Arena, and the Ice Arena, just how we’ve been in the past with events out there," said Krogstrand. "So we’ll be able to keep doing business as usual in Rapid City."
Officials with the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center are expecting construction for the $130 million project to begin next spring with an estimated completion date of late summer to early fall of 2021.
It's expected that the first SDHSAA sanctioned events at the new venue will be the All-State Chorus and Orchestra concert and the State Volleyball Championships. Both in the fall months of 2021.
