Aug. 26, 2025

This piece is sponsored by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

How in demand is the Sioux Falls metro area?

A recent bus tour of Lincoln County communities was so popular “we’re close to needing a second bus,” said Tyler Tordsen, president and CEO of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

“People love it, and it opens people’s eyes that we need to be doing more in the metro area.”

There was plenty to see for the builders, lenders, engineers and local government officials who snagged seats on the bus tour this month — from impressive growing businesses in Tea and Beresford to a driving tour of Worthing and Canton that included the new community pool and industrial park, plus a stop at SAB Biotherapeutics’ rural Lincoln County location.

“It’s amazing some of the world-class research happening in the middle of a cornfield,” Tordsen said. “And then we came back through Harrisburg to the Meadow Barn, which was a great way to end the day.”

The eye-opening growth and development occurring in the metro area isn’t slowing down — and Sioux Metro Growth Alliance is expanding its resources in support. We caught up with Tordsen for more on how the year is shaping up and how SMGA is growing its reach.

We’re more than halfway through 2025 — how are conditions trending in the Sioux metro area?

Overall, things are strong. When you look at sales tax and building activity, it doesn’t seem like things have slowed too much. There’s been a little tightening, which I think everyone is feeling, but overall, the metro remains super-strong with a lot of interest both homegrown and from others looking at this region. They appreciate the opportunities that exist, broad-based with the tax climate but also the benefits of locating here whether you’re in rural areas, small towns or the big city of Sioux Falls.

Are communities doing more to position themselves for economic development?

For the most part, yes. The communities that have recently joined with us — Alcester, Beresford and Canistota, for example — appreciate and like being in the mix. They like feeling part of a broader community and having access to resources to navigate growth. We’re helping get the word out about what’s happening there. And cities themselves across the metro area are looking at infrastructure upgrades, and that’s what you have to do for existing and future residents. Those are expensive, but it’s what you have to do to position yourself for the future, along with considering more housing opportunities and ways to support both Main Street business growth and the needs of larger businesses.

What I love about the metro is that we have anything businesses and residents could need or want. If you want a small-town feel and sense of community, we have that. If you want a big industrial site, great schools, good work ethic, we have all of that here. So it’s not surprising to see our population numbers continue to rise. Our communities realize they need to be ready with land, utilities and a favorable permitting environment, and they’re finding ways to make needed improvements and keep navigating growth.

Earlier this year, you announced SMGA was offering new options for corporate partners. How has that program been received?

It’s been great. Behind the scenes, we tend to prioritize generating leads, helping facilitate potential new employers, guiding housing developments and putting on events for education and networking. Sometimes, that means we put our own organization on the back burner, so despite not heavily promoting the corporate partnership opportunities, there’s been a huge amount of interest. We’ve added about two dozen businesses since January, and there are a lot more really interested, plus many who don’t even know it’s an option yet. They love the connectivity because everyone plays a role in growth, and through this relationship, they gain access to our events and network. To learn more about it, start here, or email me at tylert@siouxmetro.com.

Speaking of events, what’s coming up soon at SMGA?

We’re just coming off some small, invitation-only events with our congressional delegation, which have been great opportunities for our metro-area mayors, for instance, to connect with them. We have our Sporting Clay Classic coming up for the second year on Sept. 5 at Hunters Pointe in Humboldt, which includes a meal catered by Big J’s Roadhouse. It’s almost like a golf course but with clay pigeons, and people love the event as a new way to make connections. We have a couple spots left for teams, so visit here to learn more. And then, watch for more information on our annual Growth Summit, which will be held Dec. 9 at the Sanford Event Center.

We also recently updated our website, so if you’re looking for site options within the Sioux Metro area, make sure and check that out. It’s a comprehensive look at many options that we’re consistently updating — both land and buildings — for users of all needs.