SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The richest rodeo in South Dakota history starts Thursday in Sioux Falls.

The PREMIER Center is ready to get back in the saddle.

“It’s been about four years since we’ve hosted rodeo, 2019 was our last one, so to have the Governor’s Cup and CINCH Playoffs in is a huge deal and something great for the city,” PREMIER Center Assistant General Manager Jim Johnson said.

The Cinch Playoffs will feature a long list of rodeo events, including Bull Riding, Steer Wrestling, Barrel Racing, and Saddle Bronc Riding.

Crews have already started the process of transforming the PREMIER Center into a rodeo venue, where more than $1-million will be up for grabs on the final weekend of the PRCA season.

“Right now, they’re bringing in the lighting and sound system and then the dirt will follow from that. As soon as all the dirt is in and laid out, they’ll start setting up the bull chutes and the time chutes and then we’ll start seeing livestock showing up Thursday morning,” Johnson said.

“It takes a lot of planning, all kinds of arms out there working on all the details,” Experience Sioux Falls CEO Teri Schmidt said.

Experience Sioux Falls CEO Teri Schmidt says the event has been years in the making.

With upwards of 10,000 fans expected to attend the three-day event, Schmidt says that translates into millions of dollars for the city of Sioux Falls.

“We haven’t had a rodeo of this level come to our community before, so it puts us on the map for future business, it introduces our community to many other facets of the business world or even the general traveler for a vacation or something,” Schmidt said.

The impact doesn’t end with the dollars spent this week.

“Maybe they’re looking for a place to relocate or grow their business or send their kids to college or retire. This opens the door for all kinds of possibilities for our community,” Schmidt said.

The CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup is Thursday through Saturday at the PREMIER Center.