From the Desk of Commissioner Dean Karsky: County bus tour highlights economic development
Sioux Metro Growth Alliance recently hosted their annual Minnehaha County tour. Tour participants from government and industry joined for a day of learning more about the county’s vibrant economy and diverse businesses.
The tour began in Brandon, highlighting the work being done to improve Maple and Park streets. These streets are significant thoroughfares between Brandon and Sioux Falls and improvements will make transportation smoother between these two communities.
Next, the tour stopped at Spartan Fire Truck Manufacturing, where guests saw how these state-of-the-art fire trucks are made. Spartan is a leading manufacturer of fire trucks, building more than 200 per year, and its products are used by fire departments all over the country.
The tour then continued to Lippert Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of vehicle components. Lippert employs over 100 people in Brandon.
The tour visited the Xcel Energy Angus Anson Power Plant, a Peaking facility which is capable of operating on natural gas or oil and plays a vital role in the state’s energy grid.
The tour then stopped at the recently completed new Minnehaha County Highway Department for a presentation from DGR Engineering. Lunch also included a discussion with leaders in the utilities industry, highlighting how their business is impacted by population growth and where they see growth trendlines going for the near future.
After lunch, the tour headed to Raven Innovation Campus, a research and development facility that is home to Raven’s development of cutting-edge agricultural technology. The Innovation Campus hosts visitors from around the world right here in Minnehaha County, contributing greatly to our economic success.
The final stop of the tour was a drive through both Crooks and Foundation Park. New construction on public education facilities, improving housing stock, and commercial development have made Crooks an exciting area of our county.
The bus tour is always a great way to learn about Minnehaha County’s economy and its diverse businesses. The tour also highlighted the important role that Sioux Metro Growth Alliance has in economic development in our communities.
