Oct. 30, 2024

Downtown’s newest hotel is about one month from opening.

Canopy by Hilton Sioux Falls Downtown at The Steel District is planning a late November or early December opening, according to Lloyd Cos, the developer and general contractor.

“I describe it as ‘the jewelry’ is starting to go in,” said Jennifer Seifert-Brenna, vice president of Lloyd Hospitality. “We’re down to a lot of the little details.”

All 216 guest rooms in the seven-story hotel, which is along the Big Sioux River and adjacent to Falls Park, essentially are ready to go, with the furniture in and just minor details to complete, she said.

Reservations are open beginning Jan. 10, but the hotel will move up availability as opening day is locked in.

The hotel’s public spaces also are coming together, with light fixtures and chandeliers being installed, along with wood walls, metal panels and carpet.

“The final decor and other finishing touches will be going in over the next couple of weeks,” Seifert-Brenna said.

The on-site restaurant Cascata, which means “waterfall” in Italian, will offer a full menu of Italian-inspired dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“The restaurant space also is wrapping up construction, with corrugated metal barrel ceilings going in, and after that, the booths will be placed,” Seifert-Brenna said. “Light fixtures are mostly installed, the wine room is nearly complete, and the bar will be getting its finishing touches with some light towers going in, so all the fine details are coming together at this point.”

Director of food and beverage Jeren Melius and executive chef Chris Hodapp have been hired to lead the culinary team.

“The menu is mostly set, but we’re tasting different options for the exact products that will be used and making minor adjustments for taste and presentation,” Seifert-Brenna said.

“So the menu is being fine-tuned. We’re trying to locally source products whenever possible, and dishes like our steak or seafood will be done with an Italian flair. Our chef has been working on some housemade dressings and oils and vinegars, so it’s been fun to taste those, and we’ll have some Italian-specific beverages and desserts.”

Cascata will be able to seat 100 guests inside, plus another 100 on a patio overlooking Falls Park.

“The setting is really exceptional,” Seifert-Brenna said. “It’s floor-to-ceiling windows, and inside there’s a two-sided fireplace that creates its own seating area, plus we have an option for private dining that can be rented.”

The bar area will have its own menu, and the hotel also will include an adjacent coffee shop called Torrent Coffee Bar, offering traditional and specialty coffee and pastries. All dining options will open in conjunction with the hotel.

Hiring is going well, and the leadership team is moving into its offices in the hotel, Seifert-Brenna said.

“We had a successful hiring event last week and added 40 team members, and we will have one more coming up in early November to hopefully add another 25 or 30 people,” she said. “Our executive team is all on board, and it’s been fun having all of them join the team and seeing their talents put into place.”

To learn more about employment hiring opportunities, click here.

The Canopy by Hilton Sioux Falls Downtown also is preparing to host plenty of meetings and special events. There’s a total of 20,000 square feet of meeting space available, including the Legacy ballroom, which spans almost 9,000 square feet and can be subdivided, in addition to Parlour meeting spaces with hardwood floors, a fireplace and large windows.

There’s also a boardroom overlooking Levitt at the Falls that includes a patio, while additional meeting rooms offer collaborative space with soft seating and various levels of formality.

“Every week, we sign more events up to use the space, so that’s been going very well,” Seifert-Brenna said. “There’s a handful of events that are still waiting to see the space because it can be hard to visualize, but you definitely can get an idea for what it’s going to be now, so we encourage anyone interested in holding an event to reach out for a tour.”

As the space is wrapped up and more people begin to see it, “they’re going to be amazed,” Seifert-Brenna said. “The view from the patios, whether it’s the restaurant or the more private spaces, is incredible. I can’t wait for people to stand there and see the lights at Christmas at Falls Park. It’s going to be stunning.”

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