Riverline panel: $8M site large enough for new convention center, two hotels

Affirmation means City Hall will close on deal to acquire 7 acres for Riverline District near downtown Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls City Hall intends to close on an $8 million purchase of land where the city of Sioux Falls is pursuing a new convention center east of downtown.

That’s the result of the Riverline Steering Committee on Tuesday receiving confirmation from a third-party architectural firm that the seven-acre site near 10th Street and Cliff Avenue can accommodate a new visitors and convention complex with on-site hotels and adequate parking.

“We just want to make sure there’s a legitimate option that could fit on the parcel and make sure (the) overall vision could take place on that,” said Councilor Rich Merkouris, who served as chairman of the panel assembled last year to oversee the city of Sioux Falls’ pursuit of the planned redevelopment. Dubbed the Riverline District, the project would entail a new convention center and hotels, anchoring hundreds of millions in other private development in the area.

Convention center not only option in revised $8M Riverline District contract