Rapid City Votes For Arena Funding

Pollstar Staff
2:10 am, Thursday, 12/04/2014
News

Rapid City, S.D., has approved spending $180 million to build a new arena at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, replacing the Barnett Arena.

The city council voted 7-3 in favor of the project after more than three hours of testimony and debate.

The arena could ultimately cost $420 million over 30 years with interest, making it the most expensive municipal project in the city’s history.

A civic center board member immediately started distributing a petition for a binding public vote on the expansion. The campaign needs about 2,000 signatures by Jan. 2 to force a referendum. The $180 million price tag expires after June then is expected to increase.