RAPID CITY, SD — Rapid City and its City Council was divided last night, and discussion surrounded a proposed TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District in Northwest Rapid City.
The proposed development, “Libertyland” acts as a collaboration between Pete Lien & Sons as well as Storyland Studios to produce a “Living History” Theme park near to the proposed Sports Complex and Uptown Rapid. This TIF, totalling over 125 million dollars over 20 years comes not directly as funding from the Rapid City taxpayer, but as a tax break. Direct costs for the city are mainly infrastructural, estimating a 9.5 million dollar cost for the improvement of infrastructure in the area.
While Rapid City citizens voiced their opinion for and against the proposed TIF, Council Members Stephen Tamang and Rod Pettigrew were the lone dissenting voices among the council itself.
“I don’t think our constituents think Libertyland is worthy of one of the biggest tax subsidies this city has granted,” said Tamang, noting the infrastructural cost to the city could potentially be better spent elsewhere, saying “”If you walk down Parkview, Maple, Texas street, those roads are falling apart”.
Pettigrew’s concerns were more resource-oriented, stating that he supported the potential success of the project, but that he had “concerns about the water use,” as well as having received concerned statements from constituents wondering why there had been no call for public comment on the matter, regardless of not requiring it as it is a privately-funded venture. “I have had people ask where all the workers are going to come from as well” Pettigrew said.
Conversely, the other members of the council voiced some concerns, but overall stated optimism for the project. Josh Bieberdorf called the project “Truly transformational project for the city”, while Lindsey Seachris followed “There really is a lack for entertainment for families, and we hear a lot about families leaving our community due to lack for [sic.] entertainment, and I can attest to that”. Council Member Callie Meyer’s statement on the proposal emphasized her personal want for growth in the community, saying “I think it reminds me of something we heard at the beginning of the meeting today, where [sic.] ‘When ordinary becomes default, we don’t get progress.”
