And they wonder why no one trusts the city on the Events Center projections,
“We’ll be able to have concerts out there, maybe sidewalk musicians, sidewalk artists and jugglers. Those types of things. That is an aspect we can now have in downtown Sioux Falls that we’ve just never had,” Smith said.
Huh? While I have not seen any jugglers, I have seen artists and musicians downtown performing for over a decade, heck over 15 years.
That ranks as the dumbest quote ever! It may also attract: drag shows, volgure hand gestures, and flood debris…these are a few of my favorite things…
Jugglers?!?!? Bwhahahaha! More good things to come, indeed, good people of Sioux Falls. Bring it on, Sioux City!
Personally, though, I’d prefer mimes!!
When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling blue, I simply remember the jugglers Downtown and then I don’t feel so bad . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I6xkVRWzCY
When visiting the new Sioux Falls River Greenway…….
Don’t forget to take advantage of the MILLION DOLLAR BRIDGE TO NOWHERE…..
For directions…..enter through Raven’s parking lot and exit in the parking lot of Country Inn and Suites!!!
All compliments of SF taxpayers and Jeff Scherschlight’s TIF……………..!!!!
Oh, and BTW, the true jugglers of this are……………
Mike Huether, Darrin Smith, Mike Cooper, Don Kearney, and the SF Park Board……
for their manipulation of the funding to cover the cost of Phase 1 of the River Greenway project……
Think $5.2m Quality of Life bond………..
AND, $1.97m of Sioux River Environmental Trust Fund money!!! (Mike, how much of this fund is actually left–and is the balance of the fund going to be used to demolish the River Ramp parking lot!!??)
BTW, an environmental trust fund set up to help improve the quality of the river water!! (FYI The Sioux River is classified as “impaired” by DNR – Department of Natural Resources)………
I’ll let you decide………do amphitheatres, pedestrian bridges and trails improve the quality of our city’s water source………..!!!!!???
We have spent over 7 million on this project. I have not been DT in a couple of weeks, but what I seen then was a project far, far from what was promised to be phase I completion. Footings everywhere. Half done projects of every sort imagineable. Go here…
http://www.siouxfallsparks.org/park_planning/greenway.aspx
…and read each of the 24 updates if you have the time. Then go down to Falls Landing, have a cold brew, and see for yourself what 7 mil and counting has gotten us.
Just a microcosm of things to come with the Sanford EC.
When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling blue, I simply remember the jugglers Downtown and then I don’t feel so bad . . .
Your words reminded me immediately of this. I hum it everytime I read something about our master jugglers and this project.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sku-1hqA5xw
I think he ment Juggalos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZAsCiZbl5s
ICP should be the inaugural act of the amphitheater. It would combine art, music and juggling. TRIPLE THREAT MELTDOWN!
I am going to go against the grain of the comments here and be thrilled with this project. Any sort of city that has a river through its core has seen benefits from a project such as this. I sat on the deck at Wild Sage a few weeks ago and was truly excited about the options the River Greenway provides (juggling aside). Yes there has always been artists downtown, but how cool will it be to listen to them by the river, with a nice cold one in my hand. I love the enhancements (outside of Smith’s ridiculous comments which are way too many these days) and look forward to the bike path being open and Phase 1 being completed. Ok – go ahead and let the bashing begin.
I would agree Alice, but you do realize this project was concocted between Jeff S. and Munson when they ‘thought’ the EC was going to be built next to Cherapa. It is not. I think fixing up the bike trail in that area is a good investment, but all the other stuff, not needed.
City management is already enough entertainment. Theyre the usual taxpayer pickpockets for downtowns and future perp walks will be entertaining. They should practice as Mimes for when they must take the 5th.
Regardless of the EC being built downtown – I am still in favor of enhancing downtown and utilizing the river. As I have said many times before – we never went near downtown, the Falls, and especially 6th or 8th St when I was in HS (which was about 20 years ago). Now – my husband and our family would rather be downtown in our free time than anywhere else and I firmly believe it is because people had the foresight starting 20 years ago (which today we can’t get beyond our leadership thinking more than 3 years out), to love and enhance our downtown. It has truly become a wonderful place to be and companies such as CNA and Raven identified that and are staying downtown. That has NOTHING to do with city governement (although they made their best effort to try and take credit for it last week with Raven). That has everything to do with the progress and the beautification of downtown. We are extremely lucky. I love the River Greenway Project as it further enhances options for spending time downtown. Maybe I am selfish, but I think many are excited about this project and its completion.
You opened up a door to a bigger question. Is it government’s job to enhance private business at taxpayer’s expense. How many business owner’s in town can brag about a $5 million dollar landscaping job in front of their place paid for by taxpayers? Same goes for the facade easement program. All for it, if it was like a community development loan, low-interest or no-interest. But a handout? Why is city government so quick to use our money to subsidize private industry in SF? You realize that is all the EC project is. Imagine the millions to be made by local contractors? Reminds me of the two brothers who founded POET and their mansions in SF and the millions they received in Federal Subsidies. We should just split the $175 million between the residents of SF instead of building an EC, now that is economic impact!
ABSOLUTELY agree with Alice. To re-invigorate downtown, you can’t just make it adequate — you have to make it desirable. Looking at the master plan for the river greenway makes me smile.
And so does this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QZMbiCAcFs
Once again, I agree, revitalizing DT is awesome, but once the EC was not going to be built DT, shouldn’t have this project been shelved and studied for feasability? It’s whole intent was to make the EC DT more appealing and accessible. No EC DT. What’s the point?
The point is to add appeal to the East Bank. Whether a new EC goes there or not, the East Bank is one of the prime neighborhoods in the city for redevelopment. The better the public amenities there (and thus property values), the higher the quality of the private development in the area.
I sat on the deck at Wild Sage a few weeks ago and was truly excited about the options the River Greenway provides
That 5.1 mil was supposed to be spent on the Sioux River Greenway project. Not the Wild Sage Improvement Plan. 3 million of that was intended for environmental improvements. Putting a amphtheater at the Wild Sage doorstep does not meet that criteria. Phase II is supposed to start next year. Part of phase II’s 3 million dollar funding was supposed to be the 1.9 million they’ve already confiscated from the Morrell ENVIRONMENTAL settlement to move phase I limpingly along. That 1.9 million is money from a settlement with John Morrell for polluting the Sioux River back in the ’90’s. It is called “The Big Sioux River ENVIRONMENTAL Trust Fund.” It was established in 1996 by court order. The money was to be used primarily for these 3 reasons.
1. Reduce pollution along the Big Sioux River.
2. Identify continuing sources of pollution along the Big Sioux River.
3. Develop and implement strategies to reduce and/or eliminate pollution along the Big Sioux River.
How does a heavy concentration of concrete at the backdoor of the Wild Sage restaurant meet these ends?
I wish CobraCommander would go back into cahracter.
Jugglers wwould def get more people to move DT. I always thought they should add that to that homeview search engine under ‘ammenities’…. that and ‘burrito shops’.
Poly – Seriously. With any new project – some businesses benefit more than others. With the River Greenway – I anticipate MANY businesses will benefit including 8th & Railroad. Wild Sage was an example. Why do people have such a problem with companies or people benefiting when they are willing to take their own risk and investment? I certainly don’t. Good for them. Any business you look at is a risk. There was a day when Raven, Sioux Steel, etc were all risks. Thank goodness they took them as they provide numerous jobs in our area and contribute to our quality of life. You’re right- the environmental study has nothing to do with Wild Sage.
Detroit – 4 council members + the mayor decided the EC location debate in June, and the ballot resolution wasn’t passed until August. River Greenway project broke ground last November 2010. The mayor is the one who settled the EC location by ignoring the River Greenway investment that was already under construction
The River Greenway project was a catalyst in Raven’s decision to spend $15m on inside and outside upgrades to its corporate headquarters, so the public project is already producing additional private investment along the river.
BUT if we had any visionaries in City Hall, Sioux Steel would have started its own relocation plan by now – freeing up some prime riverfront real estate by 2014. The Railroad Relocation project would also be on the fast track instead of becoming a total cluster—-. Wonder why people hate Sioux Falls? Just ask the good folks in Brandon.
Alice15…..
Do you really think that it was a wise use of the taxpayer’s money to build a million dollar bridge from Raven’s parking lot to the parking lot of Country Inn and Suites……
BTW, there are also pedestrian walkways along both the 6th and 8th Street bridges………..
This bridge was an agreement between Munson and Scherschlight (TIF). I know that there was a point where the City was having second thoughts about it. I was at Carnegie the night that Scherschlight strolled up to the podium and told the Mayor and the Council that he would use legal means to have the agreement enforced if the City backed out.
Other TIFs are currently being worked on (Darrin Smith and Erica Beck) with developers for future DT projects. I hope that our current Mayor and Council will not “buy-in” to these kind of “strong-arm” tactics in the future……………….!!
cr,
In regards to the “there are other ped bridges close by!” statement…
Present, and especially future, densities in the downtown region warrant increased density of pedestrian facilities. Not to compare Manhattan with SF, but in lower Manhattan, there will be (once the 2nd Ave Subway is complete) six parallel subway lines, all spaced by one block. This density of public services and public amenities is in direct response to the density of population and investment in that area.
Poly – Seriously. With any new project – some businesses benefit more than others.
You got that right. In this case, it just happens to be Wild Sage Restaurant??? Sheerly coincidence I’m sure. I’m sure Sureslickster had nothing to do with where 80% of the phase I money was spent. Wink. Wink. Nod. Nod.
Tom H…..
While I guess we’ve got that covered with that million dollar bridge that ends in two parking lots….
We now have three!! pedestrian bridges in a two block span……
And, this is Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a city of less than 160,000 people vs. New York with eight million inhabitants!!!!
cr – If I understand it correctly – the vast vast majority of the “impairment” of the river occurs because of UPSTREAM ag practices + Morrell dumping downstream. How exactly is the city SUPPOSED to address those issues? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t thinlk thos is a proper use of those $$$s. Just wondering what you think that would be.
I guess we could hire a consultant to tell us that…..
we seem to hire a consultant for everything else!!!!
This was a binding legal agreement from the beginning with Jeff S. and had ZERO to do with a ‘need’ for the project. Remember, we BORROWED the money for this project with building the new library and the Jr. Football fields. Mike Cooper was asked at the time what the $5 million would be spent on, he got nervous and said, ‘Amentities’ He didn’t have a fucking clue, he did however know that if they broke their agreement with Jeff, there would be problems.
My apologiessss to Ssssscumbag. I had a few drinkssss when I posssted lassst night. It makesss me loose this hisses.
I do fear that thissss dock you are building is going to encourage the Joesss to dock the USS Flag in your ciiity. We all know Ssssshipreck loves hizz dockside bars……
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1KIYulpkJLI&v=1KIYulpkJLI&gl=US
Pfffttt… ah yes Alice, a nice cold one in my hand as I watch our turds float to the surface and I inhale that wondrous smell of raw sewage while gazing at that misty haze that hangs over John Morrells.
God forbid that we build a pedestrian bridge to connect two prime redevelopment areas (Eastbank and Uptown – the Raven parking lot is getting re-formatted to connect the trail to Phillips Ave), a future improved park space (Falls Park West), and the most vibrant urban area in the city (Downtown core). We all clamor for our leadership to have a vision and be proactive, but then we complain when they act on it.
I don’t praise many of the projects that are led by this city government, but I like the Greenway project. It’s a moderate (I’m not saying insignificant) cost, and it actually has a good chance to recoup those costs through increased property and sales tax revenues from development that it stimulates (see Raven’s $20M redevelopment as an early example). If we thought about more of our public projects in a return-on-investment sort of way, we’d have fewer poorly-thought-out projects like the Arena EC, and more small-scale neighborhood improvement projects that benefit everyone.
I see the old Buffalo Wild Wings on N. West Ave. is doing a remodel. Think MMM will take credit for this “investment” and “re-development” near the Arena outpost? More good things to come, indeed. Bring it on, Sioux City!
Downtown……Uptown……..Eastbank…..
I’ve always thought these labels to be just “more than a little pretentious” for our little city on the prairie!!
Uptown? I thought that went away with Munson? You mean they are developing something down there? Did they purchase the land yet from the city? Or are we still holding the bag on that one?
I saw this today, but was confused where this loft was going to be built (page 10);
http://docs.siouxfalls.org/sirepub/cache/2/v1edsv55jp5xjmfk0mixzej0/18138910282011101601211.PDF
“[…] you do realize this project was concocted between Jeff S. and Munson when they ‘thought’ the EC was going to be built next to Cherapa. It is not. I think fixing up the bike trail in that area is a good investment, but all the other stuff, not needed.”
-l3wis
Patently false. The plan in place was crafted by Design Studios West – a firm from Denver that was commission by Tom Everist at his own expense.
These amenities ARE needed. They add value to Sioux Falls. Projects like these are instrumental in attracting and retaining a talented workforce. Beautiful cities are economically robust Cities. It’s about economic development. Just like a business, you got to spend money to make money.
Then why did Jeff S. threaten to sue the city in a public meeting if his demands were not granted? I don’t care who designed the thing, Jeff and Dave cooked it up.
DL- I can’t speak to that b/c I wasn’t there. I know this though… The Sioux River Greenway Plan was conceived before the first EC task force. It was a conceptual plan that jump-started the EC debate. Two options were proposed – one w/ an EC, and one w/o. It was a non-binding plan. The only thing Jeff S. would have legal standing on is the administration of the TIF district in which Cherapa is located. So let’s clarify…are we talking about the TIF district, or the Greenway Plan? If we’re talking about the Plan, then your claim that it was concocted b/w Dave M. and Jeff S. is as wrong as Scherschligt believing he had legal standing against the City to execute the plan…which I don’t believe to be true. Let’s get some clarification here.
You tell me, what was Jeff S. talking about, I would like some clarification to.