Is this something someone with ‘Business Acumen’ would have done;
Brandon Maddox, the father of a Sioux Falls Swim Team member, says it’s perfect for holding meets, but right now the City won’t allow it.
“It sits empty, I sit there from four to six watching my daughter practice and there’s no one in there,” Maddox said.
Kearney says he thinks there’ll be swim meets held at the Aquatics Center at some point, but the City isn’t ready to take the plunge just yet.
I told people that we should have built this place in partnership with Sanford at the Sports Complex. Would have saved tax payers millions and built at a location with plenty of parking and expansion, and usage from sports special interest groups. Another ignorant move by High Crimes, Ramrod, Mayor Mike.
I know why they are doing this, they are trying to show they are not catering to the swim clubs, but let’s face it, you don’t build an olympic pool with bleacher seating for 500 parents if you were not planning on having swim meets. Stop the facade Mike, you are not fooling anyone. I also heard they are not renting for Birthday parties yet, not sure if that is true, but have had several people tell me they have tried to book with no success.
A also wonder if this is an attempt/strategy to raise the current affordable rates at the pool.
The really odd thing about that aquatic center, is the lack of usefulness for adults lap swimming. Why build a 50m pool, perfect for adult lap swimmers, if the lockers are too shallow to hold a workout bag or even clothes to change into to go to work? There’s one electrical outlet in the lock er room and it’s behind the door! Who designed this place? I couldn’t wait for it to open so I could lap swim with a lifeguard, but it’s unusable for me. I’m not going to walk in, change into my swimsuit, walk out to the car and put my clothes and bag in the car, then walk back in and swim. There’s no room for a winter coat or boats in those lockers either. It’s like the architects forgot we had winter weather. I’m really sad it’s unusable for adults coming from work or going to work after lap swimming.
Don’t know you, and have no idea of what your saying is true, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.
This is what happens when you don’t listen to the public.
You are so right Scott. The mayor knows the public is keeping a close eye on who and what this palace was built for. 90% of the water volume in that place is the ten lane 50 meter pool. $350,000 for a daktronics scoreboard and other “equipment”. I’d love to see the breakdown of how that $350,000 swim club donation was spent.
In 14 months an adult pass will be 42% more than it is today. It is easy to see rates being twice what they are now, in just 38 months.
There was a meeting at the Oyate Community Center with TSP and the Park Department giving the community a “first” look of the pool designs. During the meeting the lack of bathrooms was discussed and dismissed as an unnecessary worry.
Go back and view the video we put online.
Remember when Michelle Erpenbach and her friends were appointed to the decorating committee by da mayor? Looks like they spent their time doing the signage inside and out instead of how useful the facility could be. Figures…
This is the first I have ever heard of any fundraising done by the swim clubs. We heard several complaints and questions as to what were they contributing. It just strikes me as odd that we suddenly hear of this $350k donation well after the fact.
As for renege on the alleged deal, sounds like the city is learning how to handle matters just like they did for foundation park. When will people learn to get stuff in writing especially when dealing with the city.
Everyone who watched the olympics knows real champions just keep all their stuff in a bag behind the starting blocks.
Watch city scene on this topic, FF to 10:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeh4ebmvw78
Notice she mentions that the rates are going up next year. And if you buy a pass now it only lasts until May 1.
You would think that at least we could put the Sioux Falls Swim Teams name on the Aquatic Center signage, wouldn’t you?
I mean, Midco pays about $ 250,000 a year for that signage, while the SFWT pays $ 350,000 and gets nothing…not even for one year…..
Just so those swimmers dont park in the VA spots that are for veterans.
If the SF Swim Team did make a $350,000 donation to the aquatic center, the details would be in the city council minutes. Any such donation has to be formally accepted by the city council in open session. Search the records.
But Don Kearney’s explanation is exactly opposite of how city funds were given to the Ice and Tennis centers. The city used its $500,000 to purchase a Zamboni, lockers, and other physical assets. Should either facility close, the city could recover the physical assets it “loaned” to these non-profits. I’d be curious how the contract with the swim team reads.
It is really curious how this $350,000 donation shows up at the same time the swim team is whining about the availability of the 50 meter pool.
Mayor Mike says nothing publicly about a $350,000 donation from the swim team…….strange!
This all reminds me of the deal (which was in writing) that the Council struck with South Dakota Jr. Football.
The initial cost to the taxpayers for the football fields was supposed to be 4.2 million with SD Jr. Football providing the balance which amounted to over a million dollars.
The MOU between the City (taxpayers) and SD Jr. Football stated they were not to take possession of the fields until the entire amount they were obliged for was raised. They did not even come close…..
The City Council appropriates the money for these projects, they also need to hold these organizations accountable for the agreements they have made WITH THE TAXPAYERS!
Sorry, you don’t even get to see MMM’s moobs for $350,000. Have fun at Augustana.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfONNfAjyrc
This was originally posted to the wrong southdacola pc:
The article in today’s AL leads me to think that the swim team parents think they bought a piece of a taxpayer-owned and operated facility.
I am glad that our city’s administration is protecting the general public’s access to the new aquatic center. After all, every SF taxpayer owns that facility, not the 200 to 300 kids and their families who happen to belong to the swim team.
Talk about a sense of entitlement (quote taken from AL article): “They agreed to provide the equipment to us and they gifted it to the city. There is no condition for using the facility in return for providing that equipment,†he said.
That didn’t stop the Sioux Falls Swim Team, however, from advertising an upcoming meet as being held at the Midco Aquatic Center. (*without consulting those who manage the facility)
Really.
Perhaps this “entitlement” comes from an assuming air of corporate entitlement, which is fostered by the obsession with corporate signage on public buildings, or allowing First Premier employees, for instance, to buy tickets a day before the general public for upcoming Events Center activities…..?
Don’t blame the SFWT, this “entitlement” attitude is sadly inherent to how we now seem to do business these days in this town as a municipality, which is suppose to be a municipality for the people and by the people and not a town merely up for auction….
Trying to have a rational discussion about the Aquatic Center on this blog is like trying to have a rational discussion with a Trump supporter.
The facility was built for the public, with a huge opportunity for revenue raised from hosting swim meets.
What is happening now is nonsense.
Much like the conspiracy theory BS and class warfare bilge being spilled here.
Glad I no longer live there. It’s your albatross.
Winston, I sometimes wonder also if this has more to do with the Midco sponsorship than anything? For instance why wasn’t the public told the SFS donated the money? Why wasn’t there name proudly displayed over the scoreboard they paid for? Seems odd to me. At this point, since it is built, and since we still have to pay over half of it off and subsidize it, I could care less who uses it, pack them in. The more people using it the less I have to throw at it.
u will no the anser if u see the pool got lousy with Midco employees floating in it all the time.
l3wis, absolutely! This whole corporate signage nonsense really irks me as a citizen.
“The Greatest Generation” did not successfully fight the Axis powers only to have its children and grandchildren become the subjects of a blatant cozy relationship between government and corporate America. We have always known that big business too often got its way in public policy, but this signage tolerance is symbolic of how we are increasingly becoming mere subjects to a system where the people have less and less say…..
Toclayco, you complain about “class warfare.” Well, let me just say that the people never fired the first shot on that one. The people are only responding to attacks upon their quality of life, their ability to govern themselves, and their ability to make a living wage. If there is any war among classes going on, it was started by the elite and not the average citizen.
And as far as to your concern over “conspiracy theory BS,” well, how are actual signs a theory? Rather they are sure proof of the cozy relationship between government and corporate America….
The swim team parent who was on KELO for several days whining about the usage of the new aquatic center did the general public a favor.
We got to see how the swim team is going to attempt to bully taxpayer representatives into having their way with a facility that cost the taxpayers over 24m to build and in addition will cost taxpayers over a million dollars annually to operate.
Result: the public will be even more vigilant in watching the swim team’s usage of the new aquatic center.
Thank you swim team parents!