Since 1989, Downtown Sioux Falls property owners have made a collective decision: invest together in the future of downtown.
For many people, the BID is associated with the visible things it helps support: ambassadors, flower planters, events, holiday decorations, beautification and marketing. Those investments are important, but they are not the purpose of the BID.
The purpose is demand.
A successful downtown creates demand for businesses, encourages investment, attracts visitors, fills storefronts, supports tenants and strengthens property values. Those benefits don't stop at one block or one building. They extend across the entire district.
Whether a property sits in the heart of the activity or on the outer edge of downtown, it benefits from a downtown that is active, safe, welcoming and growing.
That is why the BID was created.
By working together, property owners can accomplish things that would be difficult, inefficient or impossible to achieve alone. Marketing reaches further. Public spaces improve faster. Advocacy becomes more effective. Events attract more visitors. Every dollar stretches further because it is coordinated toward a common goal.
Over the years, the BID has evolved alongside downtown itself.
The downtown of 1989 is very different from the downtown of 2026. What began as an effort to address decline and encourage investment has become a tool for managing growth, supporting economic vitality and preparing for the next generation of development.
That is also why the BID ordinance must evolve from time to time.
Policies, incentives and exemptions that made sense decades ago may not reflect today's market conditions or tomorrow's opportunities. Keeping the ordinance aligned with the realities of downtown helps ensure that the BID remains effective, relevant and equitable for all who benefit from it.
Nationally, many communities are seeking greater coordination and efficiency in how they manage their downtown districts. Sioux Falls has benefited from maintaining a singular management structure and a clear focus on creating value for property owners and the broader community.
For nearly four decades, the BID has helped transform Downtown Sioux Falls into one of the community's greatest economic and cultural assets.
The goal remains the same today as it was in 1989: accomplish more together than we ever could alone.
Brandon Hanson is the chief executive officer of Downtown Sioux Falls Inc.
NOTE: The Dakota Scout is an independent organization with editorial decisions made without consideration to our paid advertisers.
