Nov. 15, 2023

A new destination district announced in Rapid City includes everything from a theme park to a Western-themed resort, entertainment venues and a lifestyle center.

Libertyland USA is being designed by Storyland Studios, a team with experience that includes work at The Walt Disney Co., Walt Disney lmagineering, Pixar Animation Studios, Universal Studios and Legoland.

The concept for Libertyland, which would be on about 300 acres off Interstate 90 on the northeast side of Rapid City, is for a mixed-used development that includes a theme park centered around a living-history attraction.

More than half the property is owned by the Lien family, owners of Pete Lien & Sons, a fourth-generation family business in the mining, mineral processing and ready-mix concrete industry.

“Our vision really is to do something big for western South Dakota,” said Joel Brannan, who spoke on behalf of the family. “It’s always been Chuck Lien’s dream to do something that would really support western South Dakota, and that’s how this all started.”

Storyland Studios formally announced the project this week in conjunction with the IAAPA Expo in Orlando, Florida — the largest trade show for the attractions industry.

“LIBERTYLAND USA is set to become a major regional entertainment and residential destination in the heart of the Black Hills,” partner and chief strategy officer Ben Thompson said in a statement, comparing the development to Storyliving by Disney or Universal’s Housing for Tomorrow.

“LIBERTYLAND is truly a live-work-play destination that will act as a point of connection in the region, allowing residents and visitors to branch out to visit iconic sites and attractions like Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse, Black Hills National Forest, Devils Tower and more.”

Additionally, an adjacent lifestyle center would provide retail, dining and entertainment, while a special event center would be designed to offer an arena chuckwagon dinner show and expandable outdoor amphitheater.

A 300-room, Western-themed resort would support the development, including a conference center and indoor water park.

And an RV resort and campground would include space for 200 RVs, supported by a general store, restaurant, recreation center and outdoor activities.

A residential component, Liberty Village, is proposed to include single-family and multifamily housing.

The plan is to request proposals from developers on various elements of the project beginning yet this year, Brannan said.

“This will be in phases,” he said. “The housing and residential piece, the hotel piece, the theme park piece, the RV camping piece, so it’s all broken up in different silos.”

Darren Sloniger, managing director of Libertyland USA LLC, the master developer, will lead the project, alongside executives from Storyland Studios. Sloniger previously was president of Marquette Cos., a national developer with master-planned, mixed-use and high-rise projects across the country. Libertyland USA LLC is a collaboration that includes the Lien family.

Architect Mel McGowan, chief creative officer at Storyland Studios, has a background that includes more than a decade at Walt Disney Co.

“LIBERTYLAND and Liberty Village are not just about history told from one perspective; in fact, it’s quite the opposite,” McGowan said.

“This development will represent shared stories from different perspectives that converge like multiple streams flowing into one river. The housing within Liberty Village is really thought through holistically. The master plan covers everything from workforce housing and vacation homes to retirement housing. Our goal is to take care of the variety of pressing housing needs in the region. At the present time, over 2,000 residential units are planned.”

The concept has evolved over time and is still a work in progress that will depend on how developers respond to the request for proposals, Brannan said.

“Before we get too much further down the path, we need to get developers on board to understand what our concept is,” he said.

“Every aspect of this project is something that’s needed in western South Dakota, so it’s a way of pulling everything together at once to see what floats. We were amazed at the amount of interest we received from all over the country and people who want to be involved in this process.”

The vision is for a higher-density development than typically seen in South Dakota, with theme park attractions that play into younger audiences’ appetites for virtual experiences, which often require a smaller footprint than classic amusement parks, he added.

“Over the last five years we’ve been working on this project, I have visited (projects in) many states that have much more density on much less property,” Brannan said. “But it depends on what developers propose.”

The family aims to develop these properties responsibly to enrich Rapid City and surrounding communities in a sustainable, economically viable and appropriate manner for both the environment and future generations, the statement said.

“It’s really an affordable American family destination, from sleeping bag to suite,” McGowan said. “It would truly have something for everyone.”

A timetable for investor presentations will be set in the coming weeks. The goal is to open an initial phase by 2026, in time for the nation’s 250^th birthday.

“Rapid City is a healing place for all walks of life,” added Sam Brannan, daughter of the late Chuck Lien, in a statement. “We’re miners, loggers, ranchers, farmers – people from all backgrounds. We definitely want this to be a healing, unifying project because it’s very necessary in these times. We’re willing to entertain any compelling proposals to partner with us on this development, and we’re willing to put our energy, land and capital investment into making this a reality.”