As the Sioux Falls Event Center Task Force prepares its final recommendations to the City, public debate over the proposed project is already under way. Where should it be located? How big should it be? And more importantly, how much will it cost?

Another unknown at this point, is how to pay for it. We took a look back at how the city financed some of its other big-ticket items.

It was considered the crown jewel of the city when it opened its doors in 1962. The Sioux Falls Arena could seat about 7,000 people and cost about $1 million to build.

At the time, many of the city's 65,000 residents thought it was too big and unnecessary. But the project eventually passed, and the city issued bonds to help pay for it.

Those bonds also helped pay for the downtown Coliseum. This aging landmark was almost torn down in the 90s, but voters decided to save it and spent $2.5 million to renovate and restore it.

The Orpheum Theater is almost 100 years old. After selling it in 1954, the city bought it back fifty years later and gave it a $2.5 million upgrade in 2002. The improvements were a combination of federal grant dollars and a second-penny sales tax.

The estimated cost to transform the old Washington High School building to a museum was about $20 million. But the final price tag for the Pavilion ended up being closer to $30 million. Voters used the city's entertainment tax to pay for the Pavilion and the $15 million Convention Center that opened in 1997.

And finally, the new Howard Wood Field, which is the old Howard Wood today. In 1954 the city spent $500,000 to build this facility which is now owned by the school district. The original Howard Wood Field was built at 10th and Cliff by the YMCA. In 1939, the city bought it for $7,000. Seating capacity was about 4,000 people back then.

The school district has budgeted $6 million for the upgrades at Howard Wood, but has put those plans on hold until a decision is made on a proposed events center.