This is a first for me. I’m now a blogger. I’ve never been a big blog reader, but I do have things on my mind from time to time, so it’s time to start blogging.

One topic that has been on my mind a lot lately, is the issue of a new events center or Coliseum in Sioux Falls. We need it. We’ve needed it for awhile now. I’m for it. I’d vote for a raise in taxes to do it. I was hoping we’d have something built by now.

Now to the problem with one of the current plans being tossed around. Do we need to tear down Howard Wood Field, a great outdoor facility that serves it’s purpose well, to build it.? I say tear the Arena down, and build a 12-14 thousand seat events center on to the Convention Center. I know, I’m not and engineer. Maybe that’s not structurally possible. But isn’t there somewhere we can build it without tearing down the Wood?

I think the new events center should be a multi-purpose one, that would be the home to the three indoor minor league teams. I know this won’t erase the scheduling conflict the Stampede, Skyforce, and Storm battle for. But think of the possibilites for these franchises in a new facility. The Stampede could have a regulation sheet of ice, but more importantly, fans could watch hockey without dealing with the sightline problem you have at the Arena. I think the Herd would sell more tickets. Renovating the Arena likely won’t help the sightline problem.

The Storm are selling out their home games two weeks in advance. Perhaps they’d sell 6-to-7 thousand tickets a game in a new events center.

While the Arena isn’t bad for basketball, the Skyforce would benefit as well in a new place.

I know the minor league teams don’t want to play in a such a big place that looks half empty with that much seating. But maybe we could model it after the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City. They have 5-thousand seats in the lower bowl part of the Arena. It seems cozy enough for their USHL and UIF football games.

The new events center would help us lure national tournaments, like the NAIA tournaments that Sioux City is currently getting.

Sioux Falls will be the host of the Summit League men’s/women’s basketball tournaments starting next year. How nice would a new facility look on ESPN when the men play in the title game for a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

And let’s not forget about the state basketball and volleyball tournaments.

And of course, concerts. Maybe we won’t get the Boss to drop by once every 10-years. But we’d get some great ones in an arena of this size.

The main tenants of the proposal I’m against would be high school football. I know, we have some late season games in the cold and rain. But I’d say for the most part, the weather is pretty nice outside for 80% of the games. The Dakota and President’s Bowl have been great outdoor events with fireworks. Let’s keep them outside, where they should be.

Besides the stories we often tell, are about those cold, windy, and rainy nights on a football field. Those are the games we remember. They make us tough here in South Dakota.

We don’t have a tenant like the Fargodome does with NDSU. The Bison draw 20-thousand a home game, and besides, isn’t it much colder in Fargo.

Let’s build a new events center, and use if for a lot of things, but not high school football, or maybe an occasional USD/SDSU game.(if they decide to play each other again someday, but that’s another topic.).