RAPID CITY, S.D. (CelebrityAccess) Residents of Rapid City, S.D., voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to build a $130 million arena that would replace the 41-year old Don Barnett Arena in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
Nearly two thirds of the 17,000 votes were cast with about 11,000 (64 percent) in support of the project, according to the Rapid City Journal, according to the Associated Press. The approval comes three years after voters rejected a $180 million proposal. The Barnett Arena, which was renovated in 2008, is in need of $28 million in upgrades to make it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Department of Justice had a deadline of about 10 months ago to bring the arena into compliance.
Mayor Steve Allender expects the arena to break ground next spring.
“This is a statement tonight about who Rapid City wants to be in the future and that’s the type of Rapid City I want to work for,” Allender said from a “Vote Yes” party at the Holiday Inn Rapid City-Rushmore Plaza, according to the paper. “I’m proud of the community. I’m proud of everyone who worked on this. All the work that I’ve done has been worth it.”
Allender gave nearly 60 public and private presentations in favor of the arena.
