Riverline District dreams won't be cheap

New Sioux Falls convention center, developments will be nine figures

Sure, go ahead and dream. Dream big.

But at the end of the day, Sioux Falls City Councilor Greg Neitzert warned, be realistic about how you pay for those dreams.

That was the message he and others delivered this week to backers of a proposal to redevelop an area dubbed the Riverline District – a segment located near 10^th Street and Cliff Avenue. The Friends of the Riverline District – a group of business and civic leaders charged with finding the best use for the roughly 8.5 acres – presented their vision to the Council on Feb. 13. 

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The lynchpin to that dream is a new convention center. With it would come a hotel or two, as well as restaurants and mixed-use development that would connect the area with downtown. Currently, that area is detached from downtown because of busy traffic viaducts and the Big Sioux River.

While nothing is going to happen to the river, planning is under way to revamp the viaducts. That could open opportunities to better connect the Riverline District with downtown. 

But for now, Riverline is a dream. The next steps to verifying whether dream can translate to reality hinges on the City Council approving an agreement with Johnson Consulting, a global firm that specializes in real estate assessment with an eye toward the convention, sports and hospitality industries.

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