Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see there is continued development at Flopdation Park. There was an announcement today that Nordica will expand warehouse space at the site.
But am I the only one thinking after Sioux Falls Taxpayers, Minnehaha County taxpayers, and South Dakota state taxpayers floated millions in infrastructure (well over $50 million) towards the development park we only got a handful of warehouse jobs and some storage for ice cream and cottage cheese?
What happened to all the manufacturing jobs? The Bio-Tech jobs? Good paying jobs in general? You know, all these promises written on wet toilet paper without a signature?
We were buffaloed once again about high paying tech jobs to sucker us for millions in infrastructure to support some pallet humpers.
And it’s the same hucksters that were involved in other taxpayer bailout schemes in our fine community. Legacy developments who is behind the public/private partnership scam with the DTSF parking ramp after skirting any responsibility in illegal asbestos removal and the collapse of the Copper Lounge building is behind the WinChill warehouses.
I think it is time the fine taxpayers of this community send these fine folks a bill for the millions we GAVE them in FREE infrastructure. We know they certainly won’t be using their massive profits to pay decent wages so they might as well pay us back. I’m sure they will come up with another chameleon LLC scam to skirt payment.
I’m still thinking a new casino by Royal River at that location would have been a better economic impact.
Who wants some very expensive ice cream?
And how is this different from the University of South Dakota Discovery District that SF taxpayers just committed 1.5m to?
Foundation Park was an 820 acre land sale the Sioux Falls Development Foundation paid $24,390 an acre for. They sold 54 acres to Win-Chill for $105,555 an acre a year later. How did this land more than quadruple in value in one year? Clue. Sioux Falls water rates and sewer rates also quadrupled in the last decade. Why? So the city could get the over $60,000,000.00 it took to get water and sewer to foundation park. NONE of this passes the smell test. How many acres did Nordica buy, and how much did they pay per acre? Profit? On the backs of who. Profit? Who pockets it?
Dakota Carriers also purchased 8acres and is building a large office and shop out there. But I am sure since all the all the truck drivers, operators and other employees are not “pallet humpers” you conveniently left them out of your rant because it doesn’t suit your agenda? Lets also not ignore the fact that Dakota Carriers is also locally owned.
Diesel mechanics are good paying jobs because they are in high demand. I have a relative who works at a Diesel shop, they are constantly busy. But besides the shop, it is also a warehouse. I guess my point is we were promised a whole different ball of wax. You have to understand, when taxpayers invest over $50 million in infrastructure we expect a better return than barely above a living wage jobs.
Guest….do you happen to know how much Dakota Carriers paid for those 8 acres?
This has become a scheme like hawking swamp land in Florida. The sad part is that it’s government instead of scammers behind it. The elements of the Sioux Falls economy are weakening but nobody wants to admit it. Flopdation Park is a good name for what may become streets and fire hydrants through empty plots and abandoned development.
You have to be aware that Nordica is a warehousing company, right? Nothing to do with dairy. You at least must’ve spent 30 seconds doing the research.
Jon, you have to be aware the 60 million it took to get sewer and water out there was paid for by quadrupled water and sewer rates over the last 15 years. You also have to be aware bringing 10 new warehouse jobs to SF is not exactly a very good return on investment when considering how much utility users paid to make that 820 acres useable. I’ll ask again. How much did Nordica pay for their 16 acres? Who profits from that windfall land sale?
Another TIF to benefit the SF rich. I wonder if mayor TIF has a no show job with these scam artists?
END TIFs NOW