If you are a sports parent in Rapid City, you already know what it means to step up.
You are the one who stays late at the gym.
You are the one who shows up early for practice.
You fundraise. You carpool. You volunteer.
You make things happen when everyone else is tired.
Now your city is asking for that same energy one more time.
On Tuesday, January 20, Rapid City voters will decide the future of the Destination District and the Sports Complex through a Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, vote. Early voting is already open. This decision will shape what youth sports, tourism, and year round jobs look like in our community for decades.
And it matters more than many people realize.
Why Sports Parents Should Care
Brad Jurgensen, President of Homeslice Media and a longtime sports dad, recently explained it best on the Nate Brown Show. His own family spent years driving to Denver for youth jiu jitsu tournaments. Sometimes the competition was over in minutes, but the trip still took three days.
That is the reality for hundreds of Black Hills families today.
A major indoor Sports Complex in Rapid City changes everything. It means more local tournaments. More visiting teams. More hotel nights. More restaurants filled. More sales tax collected. More jobs that are not just seasonal but year round.
This is how youth sports become an economic engine that supports families, schools, and public services.
This Is About the Next Generation
This vote is not really about you or me.
It is about the kids who are coming next.
People before us made smart growth decisions that allowed many of us to build lives and careers in the Black Hills. Now it is our turn to do the same for families who are just getting started.
Youth sports parents know this better than anyone. You see the future every time your kid steps onto a court or mat.
This vote decides whether Rapid City becomes a place that attracts families, tournaments, and opportunity or a place that watches them drive past on the way to somewhere else.
What You Can Do Right Now
Early voting is open.
Election Day is Tuesday, January 20.
Learn more at TeamRapidCity.com.
If you are a sports parent, this is your moment. You already save the day for your teams. Now your city is asking you to save the future.
Show up.
Vote.
Make your voice count.
