SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The future of Falls Park has a new vision. 

The city of Sioux Falls announced Confluence of Sioux Falls as the winning design team. You can view Confluence’s contest-winning 70-page Phase 2 proposal attached below.

The Falls Park Design Competition began earlier this year looking for design teams to create a “new vision for Falls Park.” Confluence beat proposals from four other design teams in a scoring contest from a committee of city staff, elected and appointed officials and community representatives. 

In a news release announcing the winner, the city of Sioux Falls intends to “enter into a contract with Confluence to complete the Falls Park Master Plan.” You can view the proposals on the Falls Park design website. Confluence’s estimated construction cost was averaged at $23.1 million and Falls Park would have $1.1 million annual operating expense. 

The proposal says “Confluence understands complicated public infrastructure projects that have to get built in multiple phases. Once the final program is established, we will estimate to a detailed level that the City will have confidence in.”

“This is the first time we have used a design competition to select a design team and we are really happy how the process worked. The number of ideas that were generated by the design teams will be instrumental in shaping the vision for Falls Park for many years to come,” Director of Parks and Recreation Don Kearney said in a news release.  

Scoring committee members included:

  • Ann Nachtigal—Parks and Recreation Board Member
  • Greg Neitzert—City Council member
  • Greg Harrell—Citizen
  • Samuel Gezehagne—Citizen 
  • Don Kearney—Director of Parks and Recreation
  • Jeff Eckhoff—Director of Planning and Building Services
  • Mark Cotter—Director of Public Works
  • Shawn Pritchett—Director of Finance