Recent Press
Downtown RC a destination?
KEVN TV, FOX affiliate
Rapid City, SD
After several trips to Rapid City in the past year, Roger Brooks, with Destination Development, finally presented his recommendations to residents on how to revitalize downtown. Brooks says Rapid City has the potential to become a premiere destination for tourists. But, in order to do that, he says the city has to first stop relying on the places around it to attract tourists. Brooks says, "If, heaven forbid, for some reason Mount Rushmore was closed, if Crazy Horse Memorial was closed, the Badlands National Park was closed, Custer State Park closed for some reason, where would you be? And that is why you need to put some emphasis on your own destination."
Brooks recommends making downtown a more pedestrian-friendly place by widening sidewalks, and narrowing roads. He says the goal is to make downtown a social gathering place for people during the day and at night. Brooks says a main attraction... like a plaza district, will give everyone a reason to go downtown. And Rapid City businessman Brian Vulcan agrees. Vulcan says, "We need to create an iconic figure downtown, something that will draw people downtown in its own right. And then we provide them with dining, entertainment, shopping, in that pedestrian-friendly environment. And people are going to stay down there." Vulcan also believes the proposed bridge over Omaha Street is a good idea...because it will make it easier for people to get downtown.
