As with most city parks projects, the Devil is in the details. Another multi-million dollar parks project with little details of how it is all going to happen;
Levitt at the Falls will offer thousands of residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy approximately 50 free, professional concerts annually. Artists from all across the region and others throughout the country, representing multiple genres, will draw people of all ages. All concerts will be family-friendly.
The national Levitt Foundation will grant Friends of Levitt $500,000 toward construction costs and significant operational support going forward. In addition to providing design and site development at Falls Park West, the City of Sioux Falls will retain ownership of the venue and land as well as provide maintenance for the grounds.
The estimated $4.6 million project will be funded by a combination of City contributions and funding from the national Levitt Foundation and the Friends of Levitt Shell Sioux Falls. Levitt at the Falls kicked off a $1.06 million Chamber Community Appeals-approved campaign on November 1, 2016, and the campaign will end March 31, 2017. The plan will come to fruition when the first performance takes place in 2019.
As I have said before, I am still unsure how we are going to get close to the 50 concerts a year. Since most concerts will have to be during nicer weather, that is a ‘professional’ (not local acts) concert every 3-4 days.
But I also take issue with the money. It seems we will footing the lion’s share of this project and ongoing expenses. Granted, we can’t use the land for anything else due to 6 inches under the ground is pretty much on fire and melting battery acid, but I am wondering if just building a modest band shell that anyone can use would be a much more prudent way to go instead of tying us in with Levitt and the expenses that go along with it.
While we are denying the FOP decent wages we are dreaming of FREE concerts in the park.