Sioux Falls council approves Levitt Shell expansion funding, draws public objections to donor ties

The Sioux Falls City Council on June 17 approved an amended conditional gifting and naming agreement, a supplemental appropriation and a capital program amendment to add private donations for an expansion of the Levitt Shell in Falls Park.

Mike Patton of Parks and Recreation told the council during the second reading that the amendment “does increase the donation to up to 5,500,000.0 to use for expansion of the Shell.” He said the project “remains 100% funded privately.”

Councilors voted unanimously to advance and adopt the ordinance and related measures: the second-reading ordinance authorizing the mayor to execute the amended conditional gifting and naming agreement passed on a 7–0 vote, the supplemental appropriation ordinance passed 7–0, and a resolution amending the 2025–2029 capital program to add $1,000,000 in donations to CIP #14001 also passed 7–0.

The amendments add a new naming consideration for an artist hospitality center, clarify a previously named room to be called the community room, remove escrow terms contained in earlier language and allocate the private donations toward dressing rooms and expanded green space for the Shell.

The Levitt’s programming staff urged approval. Roseanne Houghland, vice president of programming for Levitt at the Falls, told the council, “We’re 4 weeks in. We’ve welcomed over 30,000 people to the Levitt already this year, and this expansion is really going to help us to continue to grow our programming, to offer those free concert and to help to build community through music.”

During public comment multiple speakers urged the council not to accept donations from T. Denny Sanford, saying they considered the donor’s reputation problematic. One resident said, “It’s sickening. Just because she wasn’t found guilty, it’s not moral and ethical to take money from a dirty person with dirty money,” and accused nonprofits of relying on the donor rather than asking other private donors to contribute.

Another public commenter, Catherine Riffle, said the Levitt “should be ashamed of yourselves to even come up here” and repeated calls for projects to avoid association with donors she described as having “unclean” reputations.

City staff and councilors noted the project funding is privately provided and that the Park Board recommended approval on May 21. Patton offered to answer questions; none were raised by council during the final votes. Councilor Thomason recused himself for the votes directly tied to the Levitt Board because he said he sits on that board.

The ordinances and the capital program amendment will allow the Levitt to proceed with the expanded footprint, dressing-room space and hospitality area using the privately pledged funds. City staff said the appropriation and CIP change will permit the city to accept and administer the donated funds for the Falls Park improvements.

Councilors and Levitt staff did not adopt any new conditions or restrictions on future donations during the meeting; discussion focused on clarifying the agreement language and making the appropriation and capital-program entries consistent with the expanded project scope.

The council’s final votes approved the requested amendments and funding entries. With the measures adopted, Levitt staff said they would continue planning and implementation with private donors and partner organizations.

Looking ahead, the expansion will proceed under the amended agreement and appropriation; public concerns raised at the meeting focused on donor reputation rather than the technical scope of the project.