Good ole plains hospitality, wide-open scenery, affordable facilities and good accessibility are among the reasons meeting attendees find South Dakota locations appealing.
Business groups that choose this High Plains terrain encounter the shadows of historical figures like Lewis & Clark, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, President Theodore Roosevelt, George Custer and Sitting Bull. This is home to Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, Native Americans and descendants of 19th century Scandinavian immigrants. The most successful South Dakota meetings include agendas incorporating the rich cultural heritage and picturesque natural attractions of the the state.
Rapid City
Rapid City is gateway to the Black Hills region and the state’s icon—Mount Rushmore—which is only a half hour’s drive away. Other major attractions within two hours of downtown are Badlands National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial and Custer State Park. These sites are often included in meetings programs for tours and off-site events.
“Planners who are looking for a central U.S. location that is affordable really should consider Rapid City,” says Lisa Storms, sales and servicing director for the Rapid City CVB. “For one thing, we have great air access, with four major carriers and service from seven hub cities, including Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Phoenix/Mesa. We are South Dakota’s second largest, well-equipped city, with a population of 125,000.”
Storms says there are many misperceptions about the Black Hills region, including the idea that the region is a flyover destination with no running water and electricity.
“For this reason, we love to host planners for complimentary site visits so we can show them how much there is to do and see in the area,” she says. “Once they’ve been here, they often tell us if they had known how much there is they would have planned to come sooner and stay longer.”
Besides Western heritage, outdoor recreation and national monument sites, Rapid City’s group lures include a variety of new restaurants like Dakota Soda Company, Dakota Thyme and Longhorn Steakhouse. Also new on the scene: Naked Winery South Dakota’s two tasting rooms in Hill City and Custer.
Deadwood
If the Old West—especially the one riddled with myths—is what you want from South Dakota, Deadwood is your destination. Deadwood is so historically significant that the entire town has been preserved as a National Historic Landmark. And there are lots of gaming opportunities that recall its rough and raucous heydays.
Saloon #10 is one of the town’s most popular stops. It is the site where Wild Bill Hickok was killed during a poker game and a living museum of Western and mining camp artifacts. The saloon’s second-floor Deadwood Social Club has space for receptions. Groups that tour The Days of ’76 Museum see some of the rarest artifacts from 19th century Deadwood, including original and restored horse-drawn carriages, firearms and period clothing. And trips to Mount Moriah Cemetery put people near the final resting places of Hickok and Calamity Jane, another colorful character.
Deadwood Mountain Grand is the big hotel news in town, and it’s scheduled for an April opening. Part of an events center, casino and restaurant development, the Grand complex is a redevelopment of an old plant used in processing gold during the Gold Rush Era.
“Deadwood has meeting space of all shapes, kinds and attitudes,” says Lee Harstad, marketing director at the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. “We can accommodate groups of two to 2,000. With Deadwood’s Wild West past and history alive at every corner, there’s plenty of entertainment for everyone within our borders.”
Spearfish
Less than an hour’s drive of Rapid City is Spearfish, one of the Black Hills region’s most captivating areas. Located amid pine-clad hills and rocky bluffs at the mouth of Spearfish Canyon, it is gateway to a spectacular outdoor recreational area that has been the backdrop for Hollywood films like Dances With Wolves. Groups that meet in Spearfish often include outdoor activities in the immediate area, as well as surrounding national parks, monuments and nearby Deadwood.
The 54-room Spearfish Canyon Lodge with its heavy log walls, natural decor and canyon views, has two meeting rooms and a stunning natural setting.
The Spearfish Convention Center is the city’s top group venue, with 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a flexible ballroom divisible by seven. The adjacent Holiday Inn also offers several meetings spaces, a business center and highspeed Internet access.
Black Hills State University offers housing, classrooms, meeting areas and dining service for groups.
Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls is the state’s largest city (population 156,000), with a location at the junction of two interstates: 90 and 29. It’s defined by the Big Sioux River and its falls, which send an average of 7,400 gallons of water each second through the 100-foot cascade.
The club scene is one of the city’s after-business attractions, as are more than 500 restaurants inside the city limits.
Sioux Falls has more than 4,000 hotel rooms and many attractions, including golf courses, performing arts, museums, parks and what city promoters bill as the best shopping between Denver and Minneapolis.
Top meeting venues include the Sioux Falls Convention Center, with 71,000 square feet of meeting space and the connected 243-room Sheraton Hotel, which adds an additional 5,000 square feet of meeting space. Best Western Plus Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center has 100,000 square feet of meeting space and a 24-hour business center.
Pierre
The state capital of Pierre lies at the bend of the mighty Missouri River and captivates visitors with its miles of walkways, parks, and recreation areas. A small-town atmosphere combines with affordable facilities to make Pierre an attractive gathering spot.
The Best Western Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center, with 24,000 square feet of meeting space and 151 guest rooms, is one of the city’s top meeting sites near the state capitol building, South Dakota Cultural Heritage Museum and the World War II Memorial.
For after-hours events, the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center is a good place to mingle and study the history of the legendary Lewis & Clark expedition.
Huron
Nearby Huron boasts a central location, attractive meeting venues for midsize groups and a variety of accommodations.
The Huron Event Center, with 23,000 square feet of function space, combines with the Crossroads Hotel and the Huron Arena to offer a combined 34,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space under one roof.
Recreation and entertainment facilities in Huron include the Dakota State Fair Speedway, one of the top stock car racing sites in the upper Midwest. The Central Park Aquatic Center is due to open in May 2013 with a lazy river, water slides and pool.
Aberdeen
As the urban hub of the northeast region, Aberdeen offers groups two convention centers: The Ramada Convention Center, which accommodates up to 900, and the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, which welcomes up to 1,000 for meetings.
Reasonable rates, good air access from the Minneapolis-St. Paul region and outdoor recreation bring groups to Aberdeen.
Popular activities include golfing, hunting and fishing, while Centennial Village is a pioneer town that depicts 19th century prairie life.
Watertown
Watertown is also in the heart of the northeast region’s glacial lakes and hills, and has a strategic location between Minneapolis and Wyoming.
The city’s Dakota Sioux Casino & Hotel and Country Inn & Suites are group favorites.
Attendees enjoy visits to the Redlin Art Center, which houses many original art works by Terry Redlin, one of America’s most popular wildlife artists. Historic lures include the Mellette House, home of South Dakota’s first governor; the Heritage Museum; and the Historic Goss Opera House.
Ruth A. Hill is a frequent contributor to Meetings Focus MidAmerica.
