Another ownership change ahead for Sioux Falls Premier Center manager

ASM Global rep says $2.4B acquisition by Legends won't hinder event center success

An ownership transfer of the company that manages the Denny Sanford Premier Center and the Sioux Falls Arena isn’t expected to hinder its South Dakota operations.

ASM Global, the city of Sioux Falls' long-time management partner at its largest entertainment venues, is being acquired by Legends Corporation, a venue planning and project management company aggressively expanding its footprint in the entertainment venue management industry. Announced last fall, Legends’ $2.4 billion purchase of ASM Global is pending approval by federal regulators, but is anticipated to be approved this summer.

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But the ownership change won’t be noticed locally, Premier Center General Manager Mike Krewson said.

“Legends is very strong in sponsorships, food and beverage. They do not have any venue management arm. That was the reason for the acquisition,” he told City Councilors during a recent briefing of operations and performance metrics at the 12,000-seat venue.

The acquisition will bring some disruption to select markets for ASM Global, particularly in locations where its food and beverage division operates.

That doesn’t include Sioux Falls, Krewson said.

“There will be assimilation into Legends operations. But they don’t have those operations in Sioux Falls,” he said,

The Legends acquisition is the second time the city-owned event center manager has underwent a corporate transfer since the facility first opened in 2014. In 2019, ASM Global was created following the merger of SMG and AEG Facilities, LLC, the former of which was the city’s contracted event center manager.

Legends is not unfamiliar with the Premier Center, either. The firm was involved in the initial round of sponsorship sales at the Premier Center, and will return to the Sioux Falls market with high regards.

“When I was with the city, we hired Legends to do all the sponsorships, the suite sales, loge box sales, club seats sales,” said Darrin Smith, a former city official in the Huether administration who was instrumental in the opening of the event center. “They're a big successful organization now and they’re in the top two of — maybe all-time — consultants and groups I’ve ever worked with, personally.”