Travelers have been touring South Dakota’s Black Hills region for generations, making it a must-see stop on their journey to Yellowstone National Park and points farther west.
Not only is the area famous for its monumental carvings of four American presidents—Mount Rushmore National Memorial—and several other national monuments and parks, it is also an absorbing repository of Native American culture and Western history.
Rapid City is the urban gateway to the region and offers groups varied facilities in which to conduct business, plus a plethora of irresistible excursions in the Black Hills region to round out meetings programs. There’s rugged and soft adventure options, along with Western heritage stops that recall an era when America was young and wild.
“If you are looking for a destination that’s more affordable than first-tier and larger Midwestern cities, Rapid City is it,” says Lisa Storms, sales and servicing director for the Rapid City CVB. “We have 5,400 sleeping rooms right in the city, plus the 175,000-square-foot Rushmore Plaza Civic Center and a 5,000-seat arena attached to it.”
Surrounding the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is a seven-acre park and lake for rejuvenating meetings breaks.
For lodging adjacent to the civic center, there’s the Holiday Inn Rushmore Plaza with its 200 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting space. Rapid City’s ideal meetings group size is between 250 and 500 attendees, Storms says. Associations and military reunion groups are primary meetings market sectors.
The Best Western Ramkota Conference Center and Hotel is the city’s largest meetings property, with 296 Western-themed guest rooms. Radisson Hotel Rapid City/Mount Rushmore has 177 guest rooms and five meeting rooms. The 120-suite Hilton Garden Inn is the city’s newest property, and a Cambria Suites property with a conference center is opening in early 2012.
Besides budget-friendly facilities, Rapid City has good air accessibility. Four major carriers—American, Allegiant, United and Delta—connect through seven major hub cities, including Denver, Salt Lake City and Chicago, into the Rapid City Regional Airport.
Storms says that while her bureau would like to see more flights and lower fares into the airport, they are prepared to work with groups to offset transportation expenses.
“The CVB offsets secondary city airfare costs into the destination for meeting groups with amenities like complimentary airport shuttles, parking and Wi-Fi,” she says.
Rapid City’s other standout selling points for business groups include culture, restaurants, museums and attractions. One of the newest attractions downtown is The City of Presidents, life-size bronze statues of American presidents that populate downtown street corners.
Most visitors stop in at the Journey Museum, which depicts the geological formation of the Black Hills area over 2.5 billion years ago, and frontier development by both Native Americans and pioneers. The entire museum and its outdoor venues are available for meetings and events.
The city’s historic districts are filled with 19th century and early 20th century homes and commercial buildings, some of which house contemporary shops. Included are Black Hills Gold jewelry manufacturing outlets, where visitors learn how Black Hills Gold is made. Prairie Edge Trading Company & Galleries is another popular stop in the historic heart of the city, with its large array of exclusive goods that showcase the artistry of the Great Plains Indians.
More shopping at the Rushmore Mall and Rushmore Crossing includes a mix of national brand stores and specialty boutiques.
Venues for Events
Unique group venues include The Firehouse Brewing Co. Theater in Rapid City and The Historic Elks Theatre.
Sites just outside the city include Prairie Berry Winery. It acquaints guests with South Dakota winemaking and features a tasting room, outdoor patio and dedicated event room for up to 200 people.
The full-service Carver Cafe dining hall hosts private events for up to 425 guests from mid-September until mid-May. An outdoor patio accommodates 150 more, and both offer stunning views of Mount Rushmore, especially at night during the lighting ceremony. Leadership retreats, team-building exercises and other activities in the park are popular with business groups.
The Arrowhead Country Club has a new ballroom that accommodates up to 200 guests, as well as additional rooms for smaller groups. A staff event coordinator and executive chef work with planners to make Arrowhead a memorable venue choice.
The Chophouse on Canyon Lake offers the ambience of a mountain lodge and panoramic views of the mountains.
Out and About
Six highways lead in all directions from the city to canyons, mountains and national landmarks in the Black Hills. Those who want the flavor of the Old West find large herds of buffalo to observe, shootouts, a cowboy supper and music show, and several indoor and outdoor theaters.
One of the highlights of the Northern Great Plains topography and heritage is Custer State Park, where bison roam free on 73,000 acres, granite spires tower over pristine lakes, and mountain streams flow through unspoiled forestland. The park was named for Gen. George A. Custer, the man who led a scientific expedition into the region in 1874. Several park lodges have dedicated meeting spaces.
Spearfish Canyon is a majestic natural showcase of towering walls and waterfalls, and rock climbing, fishing, snowmobiling and hiking are popular adventures in the area. This was the setting for Kevin Costner’s iconic film, Dancing With Wolves, and it offers stellar lodging and meeting choices like Spearfish Canyon Lodge.
Deadwood is a favorite group destination near Rapid City, where the lawless gold rush days of the 1870s come alive. Today, the whole town is a National Historic Landmark, and nearly everyone gets into the legends, lore and history. Modern-day gaming sites like Kevin Costner’s Midnight Star casino mingle with historic icons such as the saloon where Wild Bill Hickok was shot and Boot Hill, where he and Calamity Jane rest in peace. Visitors can tour and pan for gold at the historic Broken Boot Gold Mine.
Meanwhile, golfers can play seven courses right in Rapid City and more in nearby areas such as Spearfish and Deadwood. One of the courses—The Golf Club at Red Rock—is just minutes from downtown and accommodates groups of 10 to 300 people.
