The ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity for Sioux Falls will be a ‘whole other downtown,’ the mayor says.

What a way to go for Paul TenHaken.

Our Sioux Falls mayor for the last eight years will leave office by the end of the year, but he couldn’t let his desk get away before announcing one of the most “monumental” changes for the city yet: The Smithfield Foods pork plant is getting out of dodge.

When will the new facility open?

On Feb. 16, Gov. Larry Rhoden and TenHaken welcomed Smithfield Foods CEO Shane Smith to announce that the century-old food processing facility would begin construction on a new plant next year, with plans to open as early as 2028.

Where will the new plant go?

If approved, it is expected to become part of Foundation Park northwest of Interstates 29 and 90.

“This highly automated facility will represent a major investment in Sioux Falls, the State of South Dakota and the future of American agriculture,” Smith said during the announcement. “This investment supports our long-term strategy of continuing to grow and optimize our value-added package meats and fresh pork operations to deliver innovation, convenience and value to our customers.”

What would replace the current facility?

When TenHaken took his turn on the stage Feb. 16 at the Canopy by Hilton in The Steel District, he announced what’s next for the 120 acres on which Smithfield stood, naming it The Sanford District.

After what will be “probably five years” of remediation, TenHaken said possibilities are “endless,” including retail and residential, commercial opportunities and schools. “Maybe a new Whittier, maybe a medical school and recreation,” he said.

“This is going to make Sioux Falls much more attractive,” he said. “…It will be a whole other downtown.”

More: South Dakota state officials announce Smithfield Foods is moving.

Years of “urban planning” will mean a “collaboration between the city, the development foundation, (Downtown Sioux Falls), the parks departments and the community to figure out what the long-term impact looks like.”

How is T. Denny Sanford involved?

And none of it would be possible without Sioux Falls philanthropist and billionaire T. Denny Sanford, who attended the press conference, the mayor said.

TenHaken said Sanford “stepped up” to donate $50 million to the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, which will then partner with the Sioux Falls Development Foundation to see the purchase through.

“The gift from Denny basically made it possible for us to purchase that land and have the money we need to remediate the land,” he said.

Most recently, Sanford donated $20 million for a new track and field facility at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.

The new fieldhouse will be named for USD alumni Bill and Jill Gassen, called the Gassen Family Fieldhouse. Bill Gassen is president and CEO of Sanford Health.

This $50 million donation is Sanford’s largest monetary gift to the city to date.

As the biggest riser in the South Dakota Prep Media basketball polls this week, Wessington Springs is back in the top five of the Class B boys rankings.

Ranked No. 8 last week, the Spartans took down then-No. 2 Viborg-Hurley 55-47 at the DWU Classic on Saturday night. The victory boosted Springs back into the top-five for the first time since Jan. 19. Meanwhile, Viborg-Hurley slipped from No. 2 to No. 4 this week.

The Class B rankings were also shaken up by another top clash at the DWU Classic as Freeman dominated Wall 72-48. As a result, the Flyers climbed to No. 3 in the poll with two first-place votes, only behind No. 1 Castlewood and No. 2 De Smet. From No. 5 last week, Wall dipped to No. 8 this week.

Freeman and Wessington Springs are joined by two more Mitchell-area squads in the top 10: No. 7 Parkston and No. 9 Sanborn Central/Woonsocket, which entered the top-10 for the first time this season. Lyman is also receiving votes.

In the Class B girls rankings, Lyman and Parkston held firm at No. 1 and No. 2 following the Raiders’ 60-50 head-to-head win at the DWU Classic. Ethan moved up one spot to No. 4 on the heels of a 76-48 rout of then-No. 3 Bennett County, the reigning Class B champions. The Warriors slid to No. 5 this week, with No. 3 Colman-Egan rounding out the top five.

Here is a breakdown of the latest rankings.

The South Dakota Prep Media basketball polls for the week of Feb. 16, 2026, are listed below. First-place votes are indicated in parentheses and teams are ranked by total points received.

1. Sioux Falls Lincoln (20), 16-0, 100; 2. Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 14-2, 64; 3. Tea Area, 12-4, 45; 4. Huron, 13-4, 40; 5. Watertown, 13-3, 27.
Others receiving votes: Harrisburg 22, Spearfish 2.

Moved up: No. 3 Tea Area (from No. 5), No. 5 Watertown (from receiving votes).
Moved down: Harrisburg (from No. 3).

1. West Central (19), 18-0, 199; 2. Sioux Falls Christian (1), 15-1, 181; 3. Clark/Willow Lake, 15-2, 159; 4. Hamlin, 15-2, 137; 5. Lennox, 11-5, 110; 6. St. Thomas More, 12-5, 92; 7. Groton Area, 13-4, 78; 8. Vermillion, 13-5, 50; 9. Stanley County, 14-2, 39; 10. Mahpiya Luta, 15-3, 36.
Others receiving votes: Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 11, Sioux Valley 4, Pine Ridge 3, Dakota Valley 1.

Moved up: No. 7 Groton Area (from No. 9), No. 9 Stanley County (from No. 10).
Moved down: No. 8 Vermillion (from No. 7), No. 10 Mahpiya Luta (from No. 8).

1. Castlewood (17), 16-2, 197; 2. De Smet, 12-5, 169; 3. Freeman (2), 16-2, 165; 4. Viborg-Hurley (1), 15-3, 131; 5. Wessington Springs, 14-4, 110; 6. Aberdeen Christian, 14-2, 108; 7. Parkston, 15-3, 69; 8. Wall, 13-4, 66; 9. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket, 14-3, 23; 10. Sully Buttes, 13-5, 21.
Others receiving votes: Estelline/Hendricks 19, Deubrook Area 11, Lyman 10, Leola/Frederick Area 1.

Moved up: No. 2 De Smet (from No. 3), No. 3 Freeman (from No. 4), No. 5 Wessington Springs (from No. 8), No. 9 Sanborn Central/Woonsocket (from receiving votes).
Moved down: No. 4 Viborg-Hurley (from No. 2), No. 8 Wall (from No. 5), No. 10 Sully Buttes (from No. 9), Estelline/Hendricks (from No. 10).

1. Brandon Valley (20), 16-0, 100; 2. O’Gorman, 16-1, 80; 3. Sioux Falls Washington, 12-3, 60; 4. Rapid City Stevens, 13-4, 32; 5. Aberdeen Central, 11-5, 26.
Others receiving votes: Mitchell 1, Spearfish 1.

Moved up: None.
Moved down: None.

1. Mahpiya Luta (20), 180, 200; 2. Hamlin, 16-1, 178; 3. Lennox, 15-3, 150; 4. Wagner, 15-2, 140; 5. Sioux Falls Christian, 15-4, 121; 6. Sioux Valley, 15-2, 97; 7. Clark/Willow Lake, 15-2, 85; 8. Aberdeen Roncalli, 14-4, 39; 9. West Central, 14-4, 36; 10. St. Thomas More, 13-5, 21.
Others receiving votes: Rapid City Christian 19, Mobridge-Pollock 12, Lakota Tech 2.

Moved up: No. 8 Aberdeen Roncalli (from No. 9), No. 9 West Central (from No. 10).
Moved down: No. 4 Wagner (from No. 3 tie), No. 10 St. Thomas More (from No. 8).

1. Lyman (19), 17-1, 197; 2. Parkston, 16-2, 159; 3. Colman-Egan (1), 18-0, 154; 4. Ethan, 16-1, 151; 5. Bennett County, 15-3, 111; 6. Centerville, 16-2, 108; 7. Chester, 15-2, 79; 8. Harding County, 17-1, 50; 9. Waubay/Summit, 17-2, 27; 10. Gayville-Volin, 14-3, 25.
Others receiving votes: Highmore-Harrold 13, Corsica-Stickney 10, Sanborn Central/Woonsocket 10, Wall 6.

Moved up: No. 3 Colman-Egan (from No. 4), No. 4 Ethan (from No. 5), No. 9 Waubay/Summit (from No. 10 tie), No. 10 Gayville-Volin (from receiving votes).
Moved down: No. 5 Bennett County (from No. 3), Sanborn Central/Woonsocket (from No. 9), Corsica-Stickney (from No. 10 tie).

REDFIELD, S.D. — Gianna Schieffer doesn’t need data or stories from other parents to prove the point that this central South Dakota city has a worrisome shortage of day care options.

Schieffer, executive director of the Redfield Area Development Corp., has for the past couple years led an effort to obtain grants and loans, solicit donations and host fundraising events to get the money to convert a former bank building into a large child care center in downtown Redfield.

As a working mother of two, including an energetic toddler, Schieffer can point to her own situation as evidence of the shortage and the stress it can cause. On a recent day in February, the in-home child care provider Schieffer relies on came down with the flu, leaving her and several other parents with nowhere to drop off their children.

Schieffer’s husband runs a ranch supply store located well out of town. But fortunately, Schieffer works alone in a downtown office and was able to bring 2-year-old Maya with her to work.

“This is exactly the kind of situation we’re hoping to avoid with the new day care, where we could offer a drop-in service for parents on a daily or emergency basis,” Schieffer said. “If you want to work as a parent, you have to take your kids somewhere.”

The lack of child care is a common problem in cities both large and small across South Dakota and creates ripple effects beyond the immediate uncertainty for working parents.

Combined with a shortage of affordable housing, the dearth of day care is stunting potential economic and population growth as schools, government agencies and businesses are in some cases unable to hire employees because workers cannot find care for their children.

The problem is worse in dozens of small, rural communities that are often isolated from large population centers with more options.

The community has embarked on a three-year campaign to raise the roughly $1 million needed to buy a former Wells Fargo bank building in town and convert it to large child care able to hold 51 children upon launch and eventually more than 90 children.

Redfield does not have a center-based day care operation and has seen the number of small, at-home providers fall from 10 in 2023 to seven in 2026. Some of those remaining providers are nearing retirement age and are likely to stop providing the service in the coming years, Schieffer said.

Jake Dawson is a father to two pre-school age children and feels lucky that he and his wife are able to drop their children off at an in-home day care in Redfield while he works the farm and his wife works in town.

Dawson used to run a John Deere dealership in Redfield and said he often heard from employees or prospective employees that obtaining child care was a challenge. Dawson said he knew of at least two parents who had to drive 50 miles each way either to Miller or Aberdeen in order to drop off their children during the workday.

Dawson, who serves on the board of the Redfield development group, said it is clear that a dwindling number of child care openings is holding the city back.

Bart Pfankuch / South Dakota News Watch

“From an economic development standpoint, having day care available is a huge asset,” he said. “In today’s world, I think young families are looking for smaller towns to start a family. And having day care allows a community to grow by attracting talented young people to town.”

Dawson said he has been impressed with how the city has pulled together to raise the money to support development of the community child care center. He said that once the first-floor day care is established, the second floor of the bank building could be turned into a community center or some other hub of activity for local children.

“I’m really happy that the city’s stepped up and made this a priority,” he said. “I’m hoping the community continues to rally behind this project to expand this into something more for kids of all ages.”

— This story originally published on southdakotanewswatch.org.