Changes are coming to the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo after the Mitchell City Council approved a 20-year land lease agreement with the newly-formed Mitchell Rodeo Foundation on Monday night. At the end of the 20 years, there will be an option for the city and foundation to extend the lease for another 10 years. The 20 acres of land along Airport Road north of the Pepsi-Cola Soccer Complex and west of the airport will be leased to the foundation for $7,500 annually.
The original lease proposal was for 30 years. While acknowledging the rodeo’s importance to the community, Councilman Marty Barington expressed concerns about tying future councils to last night’s decision.
“It’s a long time for us to wrap up a piece of property or tie it down for future councils,” Barington said. “With not knowing where the future’s gonna be in 30 years with the location of the airport that’s out there, with the fact that the National Guard is out there, obviously we have a soccer complex facility out there – I just get a little concerned if 30 years is too long.”
Jim Miskimins with the Mitchell Rodeo Foundation said a lease of considerable length was necessary for the group’s efforts to make long-term improvements to the land. He added that they hope to make this “a Cadillac of a rodeo facility, one of the very best, hopefully not only in South Dakota, but in the region.”
The 4-day rodeo, which is held in mid-July each year, draws nearly 10,000 people annually.