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The future of Sioux Falls ice is now in the hands of the city’s business community. The Ice Sports Association wants to build a new IcePlex at the Sanford Sports Complex. It’s raised a substantial amount of money, but it needs more.
“The fact of the matter is it is hard. But if you've got a good story, if you've got a worthwhile project, you plan it correctly and execute, we think we'll be successful,” director Joe Zueger said.
The chance of success is growing thanks to businesses in the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We're so excited about this. It's a much, much needed facility in Sioux Falls,” Betty Ordal with the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce said.
The proposed Scheels IcePlex will bring three more sheets of ice to the city year-round. That comes at a cost of nearly $8 million. The group wants to have the cash up front before beginning construction. The ice association has already raised more than $5 million.
“Now it's the business community's turn to step up and say, 'Yes! This is going to help the economy of Sioux Falls. It's going to help the quality of life. We need to get behind this and support it,'” Ordal said.
The dollar figure to show that support is just over $1.5 million. That campaign kicked off Tuesday.
“At the end of the day, we're going to be selling indoor ice. That's our product. We aren't going to be an architectural shrine, so this is going to be a humble, clean, efficient building,” Zueger said.
The group has until spring to solicit the $1.5 million through the chamber’s appeals campaign. Once that is left, they would need an additional $1 million to get the rinks up and the ice frozen.
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