Grand Renovations In South Dakota

The 12,000-capacity, city-owned Denny Sanford Premier Center apparently has had a hard time quenching the public’s thirst and appetites; the main reason for the upgrades is an inability to properly store cold drinks and prepare fresh food.

 “Our cold storage is not adequate to hold all the cold product we need to get through a show, so we currently stock our beverage ports with warm beverages,” general manager of Spectra Food Services Chad Stoner told the Argus Leader. “And we have to wait for it to cool down in an ice bath, which can take up to 15 minutes, slowing down sales and slowing down service.”

Catering sales for last year were about $4 million, but those numbers could improve if more options beyond “quick fry” food items were offered, Stoner said.

The undisclosed amount needed for the renovations won’t be tough to find though, Tom Huber, the city assistant director of finance told the Leader, as money has been held for renovations.

“We want the facility to run as efficiently as possible,” Huber said. “We expect them to generate an income and they need the tools to do that.”

The arena, which cost $117 to build, has been busy since its opening in October 2014. This year the venue has hosted Jim Gaffigan, Dolly Parton, Paul McCartney, Lil Wayne with Rae Sremmurd and The Harlem Globetrotters with Carrie Underwood, Pentatonix and