South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

Riverline District

1st Amendment Larry Rhoden Mayor TenHaken Paul Ten Haken Riverline District Sioux Falls

UPDATE IV: A Generational Change? LOL!

l3wis 24Comments

UPDATE IV: I still find it a bit ironic that Denny is giving $50 million to communists while the company he founded pays communist level wages. I know, pretty funny. Oh, and the stories that have been swirling around the donation and how it came to be; Pretty juicy stuff, but just funny gossip at this point. While it didn’t involve a 5-Foot branch, it was still just as kooky.

And let’s talk about that donation;

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation will use $50 million from T. Denny Sanford to buy the existing site, clean it up and eventually, redevelop it.

$50 million won’t be enough to replant grass on the site. To clean up that site and prepare for development will be $200 Million+. Are you telling us that this will be paid for by private investment? Hardly. When Public Works director Cotter was asked about the cleanup he just mumbles something about multiple approaches. In other words, coming to taxpayers locally, statewide and nationally. Heck, they had to admit in the meeting the TIF was being paid for by sales taxes across the state.

DOUBLE DIPPING ON THE TIF

As I have pointed out recently they plan to ask for a different TIF on the languishing apartment development by 8th and RR in the next couple of months, so I was surprised by this large one. First off, the obvious. The Development Foundation which gets millions from taxpayers each year already received a $94 million dollar TIF for the park a couple of years ago. That TIF was supposed to trickle down to the businesses that build out there. So why isn’t Smithfield just using part of that TIF? Oh, that’s right, they want MORE to build their wastewater treatment plant. Smithfield’s company wide profits last year were $1.5 billion. They ain’t hurting and they can afford this. I also struggle with giving foreign communists tax breaks while we are propping up our schools with sales tax on food instead of property taxes from international communist companies that can afford to pay those taxes. The taxpayers will eventually get screwed on this. When I talked about a petition drive on a TIF, this would be an excellent one. But the city of course has their excuses;

“We’ve used TIFs to stimulate private investment in areas that would remain undeveloped or underdeveloped and which will have long-term impact on the community,” Power said.

Is a new packing plant underdeveloped? Hogwash. I bet if this went to a vote and failed they would still move ahead with the plant. Think about it, we are cleaning up their mess for FREE downtown, they are getting a TIF for the land already and all the commodities (hogs) they buy are in the region. They asked for the TIF, because they can. It wasn’t needed and they know it.

SPEAKING OF THE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

So over the past few weeks the city has been getting some favorable bids, which means the engineering consultant the city was using was over estimating;

• Minnesota Avenue was estimated for $19 million, bid came in at $12.24

• Marion Road/Foundation Park estimated for $26.5 million, bid came in at $17.2 million

While we should be happy bids came in under, this causes lots of issues because of budgeting. So why was the consultant so OFF in the estimates?

Because the consultant has an employee who sits on the Development Foundation’s Board. Funny how those things work.

UPDATE III: As one person texted me after the presser, ‘I have more questions then answers.’ Yah think?

We heard very little about cleanup and redevelopment, and here are lingering concerns;

• Why was Mark Cotter secretly meeting with Smithfields over wastewater for a year? And what was promised? And how much of this expansion has to do with Smithfields? And if it is, what are they paying for the expansion? Does the council even know? Secret deals are never good deals, heck, the last COS was involved (oh and Poops announced that Vanessa is his current COS. I don’t remember that going thru a review process.)

• They are already getting a TIF thru the Development Foundation for the new plant. What other tax rebates and incentives were included?

• This will be an automated plant as assumed, so how many jobs will be lost in transition? Maybe none since they plan to almost double capacity.

• Denny is paying $50 million for the property and gifting to The Development Foundation which will parcel it off and make lots of $$$ from it. Will these profits be offered to help clean up the property?

• Who is paying for the cleanup? Like I said, an estimate 10 years ago was $100 million to properly demolish and remediate waste from the site. So why would Denny pay $50 million for a property that will cost another $100 million to clean up? Because we will be paying for it and the Development Foundation and their cabal of grifters will cash in. Someone told me they will likely call it the ‘Sanford District’. Oh Puke.

We have a few years before we have to face this, but I will damned if we are going to pay to clean up the communist’s mess! Not gonna happen. They have made BILLIONS from this community, they should do the right thing and pay for cleanup and sell the land privately.

UPDATE II: Lalley busted the cherry, they are tearing down Smithfields.

I guess we will find out more at the presser, but I have quite a few questions, like a timeline and what kind of handouts? If a new plant will be built in Foundation Park, they are already getting a TIF, so who will pay for the cleanup of the old plant? The Feds? The State? The City? These communists have made billions from us, they should pay to clean up the land, and sell it to developers. I guess we will find out how much this ‘generational change’ is going to cost us.

UPDATE: I figured perusing some DTSF bars tonight I would be able to dig up this announcement. I did. But I promised my source I would not reveal, but if you contact me personally, I will tell you. It is actually something most SF residents have wanted to have happen for a very long time. Also, the irony is I thot about this morning on a ride, ‘Maybe it is this?’ and I laughed and said to myself ‘Pipe dream’. Like I said, very positive for the community, but my concern is what will it cost taxpayers? It is so huge, we will have to partake, but how much? Also I heard the deal was inked by Rhoden and forced onto Poops, which should not shock anyone. The only drawback besides us bailing out this adventure is the transition will actually cut hundreds of jobs, but in a good way?

——————

We don’t have the tax revenue in Sioux Falls to make a generational change, and neither does Pierre.

So all week I was looking forward to just going out to a party on Friday night to hang out with friends and NOT talk about Sally or any politics. As I am walking out the door I get a text about Rhoden and Ten Haken’s ‘Generational Change’ coming to Sioux Falls and the announcement Monday morning. My guess is this was cooked up over the last couple of weeks because I know so many leaks in the Sioux Falls city government sinking ship that I would have been told what it was already.

So after the first text my phone started to blow up. ‘What is this?’ or ‘I think it is this.’ I gotta tell yah, I don’t have a freaking clue, but as I had discussions with folks we created theories and here are the TOP three;

• Convention Center

• Data Center

• Dumpling Factory

Heck, they might come out on all 3! Who knows. My top guess, and I am hoping one of my leakers fills me in before Monday, is the state will help fund a convention center thru low interest state loans. But how is this a generational change? It is not. A DATA center farm may be closer to a generational change, but that is also odd. And who can forget the millions the state and city gave away to bring in a dumpling factory that pays slave wages.

Just once I would love a politician to come to the podium and announce real change that doesn’t cost taxpayers a penny and is completely transparent. Who am I kidding?

How can you come out with such a huge announcement that has been shrouded in secrecy and expect people to get behind it? Rhoden is running for governor and if you see his latest poll numbers he may come in 4th in the primary and he is grasping at anything. Policy changes not expenditures make generational change. Throwing tax dollars into a burn barrel is not change, it is stupidity. But hey, a duck is a duck, and these ducks are walking us off a cliff.

What do you think it is? And if you have evidence showing exactly what this is, please send it to me, would love to make the announcement before them.

1st Amendment 6th street Bunker Bridge Bunker Ramp Developers Development Downtown Sioux Falls Legacy Developments Mayor TenHaken Paul Ten Haken Property Taxes Riverline District Sioux Falls Taxes

Bunker Ramp Bum who bilked taxpayers wants a building permit

l3wis 2Comments

If this city council approves this project by this developer, they have lost their frickin’ minds;

The 10-story property at 141 N. Main Ave. was purchased by an investment group this summer and will be redeveloped by Lamont Cos. Inc., an Aberdeen-based developer with more than 50 franchised hotels nationwide.

I think the project idea and remodel is a good one, that building has immense potential. My aunt actually worked on one of the top floors of the building in the 80’s and the views when I visited were amazing. If this was ANY other investor group I would be all for it. But permits can be denied based on the (business and ethical) character of a developer or contractor. I think sticking the SF taxpayers with a $26 million dollar empty concrete block then getting a check to boot from us for your ‘troubles’ would mean your character ranks right up there with Homer Simpson. It will be fun to watch how the Planning Commission and Council handles this. Let the Weaseling begin!!!!

RIVERLINE DISTRICT GETS PAUSED

No surprise since they have identified ZERO funding sources;

But now things are coming to a pause. The committee said three of its objectives: creating a timeline, designing and pricing a new convention center, and timing out a public vote, are yet to be done. But they voted Monday evening to pause their work, claiming that no more progress can be made on those objectives as things stand right now.

I said from the beginning the only way to move forward on this is selling the public on a funding source instead of playing reindeer games with the legislature and trying to ‘trick’ us into a new tax. Complete stupidity. You need to show 2 things; 75-90% private investment and an ROI for taxpayers (not just the city coffers and private hospitality industry). Instead they showed us the shiny ball first and nobody cared.

As all of this discussion takes place, the clock is ticking on something to be built on the 7.2 acres on the east bank of the Big Sioux River. As a part of the City’s purchase agreement, State Partners, LLC has the option to repurchase the land if no construction starts in five years. Almost 11 months have passed since the City Council adopted that agreement.

This was also dumber then a mud fence. They thot they could sucker us into the new building since we already owned the land. You don’t buy a lot to build a new house without having the finances in order to pay for the construction of the house.

Do we need a new Convention Center? Sure. But I look at this two ways; 1) We can expand at current location by making the Arena a multi-level complex (the main reason we built the Denty at that location was so we could use it for convention center space). OR 2) Have a private hotel and convention center move into the Riverline space. We would lease the land for FREE for 99 years and we would give all BID tax revenue to only be exclusively spent on marketing.

We can make this happen, but not by increasing sales taxes or having expensive bonds that take 30 years to pay off. I look at the convention center business as a private one, and I think SF should make the bold move of letting this being taken over by private industry. You could actually model it after the Pavilion, which probably would be fine now without public money.

But the Banksters and Bondsters in town need a constant loan on the books to justify their bond commissions each year, and this was just another one of their ‘commission’ projects.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE APARTMENT COMPLEX TO BE BUILT AT 8th and RAILROAD?

While the bunker ramp bum is trying to get a permit, the Riverline committee Petered out, Tre Ministries has been less then transparent and we have no idea why the Dusty Monkeys were shipped out of town and we still have no idea what is happening with a project that got millions in a TIF. Obviously if this project ever comes to fruition (I think it is dead) they will have to reapply for the TIF due to time commitments. Why did this fail?

Ironically another well know developer* in town with close ties to the city and state government put forth a plan that was rejected. It was almost entirely affordable/workforce apartments and almost 100% local investors. I asked some people why they think his idea was rejected over the Iowa development? They laughed and said, “Politics.” The irony is this project would be already done if they would have picked this developer, but hurt feelings over local politics killed it. This is what happens when you bring politics into a simple planning and zoning matter, we all lose.

* This is NOT Billion. Billion attempted to make the first go at the project but concerns with underground parking and investors had them pull out, which created a new RFP.

Curt Soehl Downtown Sioux Falls Elections Mayor TenHaken Riverline District SF City Council Sioux Falls

We may have the ‘Trots’ for another few months

l3wis 5Comments

It seems Poops and Curtis the Blurtist are in a tizzy over moving our city Spring elections. The state legislature, in all their insanity, changed state law so the city election has to be in June (during primaries) or in November (general). I’m okay with that, but I would support the election in November instead of June. Primaries are partisan and would only confuse voters to see a mayoral and council candidate with NO party affiliation on a ballot with legislators that are partisan. I do believe it will help voter turnout, but I will be curious as to how many undervotes (non-votes) are recorded in the city races if we move the election. Of course the city may have to call a special election asking voters to choose either June or November for the election. I think Curtis and Poops will support a June election. It will be interesting to see if Sioux Falls voters get to choose the date or if we are just approving what these two clowns want. I think the Charter Revision Commission will have to weigh in on this. Like I said, I support moving the election to November, but I am not looking forward to 5 more months of the ‘Trots’.

DID THE CONVENTION CENTER GET KILLED BECAUSE IT’S MAIN CHEERLEADER IS NO LONGER WITH US?

A reader pointed out to me that the CC at the Riversh!t Pisstrict was probably dropped from the Mayor’s agenda because it’s main cheerleader (not Paul) has died, Craig Lloyd. I kind of agree and never really thought about it, but Lloyd had a lot of weight behind the project, and I have a feeling after his passing, the leadership team at Lloyd said we got enough irons in the fire we don’t need to fart around with this. The company is also rumored to be under ‘reorganization’ which started last summer (this has been confirmed to me by several sub-contractors to Lloyd). I’m glad it’s dead, for now, but we will have to watch this. I’m sure future council and mayoral candidates won’t touch this topic with a ten foot pole. I think major discussions will be had about property taxes and the homeless in the next city campaign. I would love it if at least one council candidate and one mayoral candidate (I’m talking to you Christine) bring up transparency in city government and especially the information coming from the SFPD. A closed government doesn’t function properly, and until we fix that, we won’t accomplish anything in city government.

Developers Development Downtown Sioux Falls Mayor Pants on Fire Mayor TenHaken Riverline District Sioux Falls Village on the River

UPDATE: Poops already giving up on the ‘Van down by the River’

l3wis 10Comments

UPDATE: Me wonders if the mayor bailed on this to remove his name from the project if it comes to fruition after he leaves office? Why is that important? Because there are rumors he may have conflicts with some people brokering the deal. If the Development Foundation and Chamber are able to sucker voters into this, since Paul will be out of office he can only hope the conflict flies under the radar. I know that is a stretch, because most insiders at city hall tell me he ‘just gave up’ after the extra penny tax got voted down, but I still know how this guy operates. He has made lots of $$$ being mayor, and I ain’t talking about his salary.

You can’t make this stuff up, seriously, I laughed so hard when I read this;

“I made a commitment to myself and to the community when I took office that I will not hand the next administration a half-baked anything that’s gonna put them in turd alley … I had an initiative that was left to me as a challenge, and I don’t want to do that to another mayor,” TenHaken said.

Well, Paul, we have been eating your turd sandwiches for 7 years, and to be honest with you, it ain’t working with my Keto.

Read the article, there is so much defeatism you kinda feel bad for the angry bird running our city. Poops was never going to get a convention center across the finish line because he hasn’t put anything across the finish line, nothing. He got handed an admin building with bad plumbing, and instead of making the contractor pay, he rolled over like a dog, same thing with the Midco, contractor screwed up, we paid. Bunker ramp, could have pulled out of the deal with a small fine, but rolled with it anyway and blamed Huether (reminds you of the guy in DC right now, all my bad decisions are the last guy’s fault.) Just admit it already Paul, you weren’t cut out to be mayor. No one will fault you for that, you just are not cut from a cloth that would understand. You ran a successful web design business overcharging your clients for websites that were produced using software (that anyone can buy) to design. I had someone tell me they charged him $5,000 for a simple website he could have created on his own for $199 in web development software. Paul, you are a fraud, and no surprise you are bailing on this. You bail on everything. Why not buy back your company and do what you are good at, screwing peeps over for overpriced websites a 7 year old could create.

But I have to admit, I was happy he dropped this idea, like he did with public art, mentorship, Lenin’s tomb at the zoo, covid, transparency, equal rights, 1st Amendment rights, and the list goes on. The only thing this guy has finished is a Mountain Dew. And that is all we need to know.

Denny Sanford Downtown Sioux Falls Riverline District Sioux Falls

Will Denny Sanford Donate to the new convention center?

l3wis 4Comments

The rumor has been swirling for awhile and the other day councilor Thomason said in the council presser that they could take in private donations. It is also no secret that for years Denny has been estate planning for when he bites the big one and there are a lot of folks at the grifting and feeding trough. The zoo could get up to $35 Million from him, for example (just no money for the dusty monkeys).

If Denny did donate $100 million and another $100 million came in private investment, the city could borrow the money on our current tax base, the problem is that would be a $20 million dollar bond payment for a very, very, very long time taking out of our 2nd penny.

I’m am still opposed to a taxpayer funded convention center or even an indoor rec center. Let a private company come in and provide the space. As I have said before private indoor rec centers are doing great and they are building more! I see the same in the convention business. Hotels and event centers are booked out for months. There is absolutely no reason the taxpayers of this city need to subsidize these things.

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