Imagine this also, we would have room to expand, there would be plenty of parking, it would be next to other sporting facilities and a possible new public high school, and here’s the big kicker, we could get a private entity to help pay for building and operating the facility;
Sanford has plans to turn the adjacent rolling farmland it owns into a bustling sports, entertainment and commercial center.
What a grand idea that would be . . .
Oh wait, we foolishly built one someplace else with a cable company throwing us a few scraps from their monopoly business they run in town.
Much like the RR redevelopment, DT Parking Ramp and Administration ‘VETO’ building, our public indoor pool was poorly planned by an administration that was drunk with power, secrecy, entitlement, greed and impatience.
I give the Sanford Sports Complex about 5-7 years and their will be a massive indoor pool built on the grounds while Sioux Falls taxpayers continue to subsidize the Midco Aquatic Center even more.
UPDATE: A whopping 94 Annual passes have been sold this year for the Indoor Aquatic Center with a $17K operating loss for January.
The Aquatic Center is built on federal property. There’s a cloud on title. The city can’t sell it but could donate it to the VA. As a veteran, Thankyou Mr. Huether.
No, because there’s no public transportation in that part of town. One reason why building a new high school up there isn’t a good idea.
The city should get out of the real estate business.
They built the Aquatics Center on property they don’t own. The Pavillion and Orpheum have yet to show a profit. They can’t fill the new 3 story building under construction. There’s not enough parking at the Denty. They’re building a free parking garage for a private hotel. They built 3 private indoor tennis courts with no business for the mayor. They bought a railroad yard with environmental cleanup issues, utilities relocation, landlocked access, and with more longer trains going through than ever.
Meanwhile, Sanford has profitable athletics and health care properties. I feel sorry for taxpayers. All of the Huether projects take 20 years to pay for. The mayor can’t make money in real estate despite not having to pay property or income tax. In 10 years or less, these inferior construction projects will sell at public auction for half or cost double for demolition.
Anon, while you make a very good point;
1) I would like to see the stats on just how many people or kids are using the public transit to go to the Midco Aquatic Center. Most likely kids/people who can afford to use the facility are driving there and not depending on bus service.
2) If it truly is a public transit issue, we can certainly add routes to the Sanford Sports Complex, which I have suggested should have been done years ago.
i wonder how many of those passes were sold to members of the swim team.
scott, I have more stats I have to get up. I think that the swim teams pay thru a group rental program.
It’s interesting that the MAC would cost slightly more for my wife and I to attend 3 workout classes a week compared to a private fitness center with many, many more conveniences. The swim team really pulled off a nice coup.