Dec. 21, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by The Ramkota Companies.

Forest fires don’t pay attention to the calendar.

Despite being mid-December, five years ago brought the third-largest fire in South Dakota history.

Custer State Park had never seen anything like the Legion Lake Fire, which burned 54,000 acres in the Black Hills.

“So many firefighters were coming in to help,” said Josh Schmaltz, president of The Ramkota Companies, which manages Custer State Park Resort.

“We knew there was a need. So we opened all our facilities, all our rooms to give them a place to shower and sleep. And we fed them – we were running to area stores to get any food we could to prepare and feed these firefighters. Obviously, the resort was closed, so we just did whatever we could to help them.”

It’s one example of many that show how Ramkota has stepped up to support Custer State Park over the past 15 years of resort management.

The partnership led to Ramkota receiving the Organization Award for 2022 from the South Dakota Parks & Recreation Association.

“Josh and his team understand that it’s not only about making a dollar; it’s about meeting customer needs and expectations while preserving the nature of the park and the history of its facilities,” said Matt Snyder, superintendent at South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks.

“The team has gone out of their way to make sure the changes and upgrades they provide tell a story and enhance the park, while at the same time not taking away from it.”

In 2009, Ramkota brought forward a program where $1 per rented room is used for enhancements around the park. A 3 percent promotional fee is used to promote the park, with a fund annually reaching $400,000.

“It’s not about how we can produce more revenue,” Schmaltz said. “These exist to enhance the visitor experience. The funds have been used for education purposes, including the new Bison Center that opened last May, and it’s been very well received by guests and the public.”

As a concessionaire, Custer State Park Resort, managed by Ramkota, oversees multiple distinct lodges filled with unique dining, attractions and event opportunities.

“They do this in such a way that not only provides exceptional experience to the guest coming to the park but also honors the history and natural beauty of the park,” Snyder said.

Since 2008, that approach has been a clear success. Revenue has tripled, but beyond that, “we’re providing such a better experience for everybody,” Schmaltz said. “Our product is up to date, and it’s clean and well-maintained, and that equates to a better experience, which gets people to come back. And good news travels, so when people have a good experience, they tell their friends.”

Ramkota also was recognized for how it gives back, including contributions to Feeding South Dakota, serving on a number of tourism boards and supporting tourism improvements statewide, including at Good Earth State Park near Sioux Falls.

“It’s not uncommon to see Josh on the front lines pitching in, whether that be for an event, a community program or at the restaurant waiting on guests when they are short-staffed,” Snyder added. “The team also helps the park for major events. When necessary, Josh and his team are willing to bring in their own funds to make sure the projects are done correctly and to the expectation guests have come to expect from Custer State Park.”

The coming season will bring more improvements for Custer State Park Resort.

The new Sylvan Lake General Store is on track to open in mid-May and bring a modernized place for food, groceries and gifts.

“I would say 99 percent of visitors go up to Sylvan Lake, so having a brand-new facility has been such a fun project,” Schmaltz said. “We could have made a monstrous building because so many people visit, but it’s about a better experience. So we focused on bigger and nicer bathrooms, a nice kitchen to service people for picnics and a great layout for serving people when they come up to enjoy the lake.”

The renovated Sylvan Lake Lodge, which suffered an accidental fire in 2021, also is on schedule to reopen this spring. It includes both historic and modernized portions of the building and guest rooms.

“We’ve done some very nice upgrades, with walk-in showers in the 12-room addition and restoration that still maintains the historic integrity of the building,” Schmaltz said.

Being recognized by the Parks & Recreation Association for Ramkota’s years of service to the park was “totally unexpected,” he added. “But to be honored for something like that was a very proud moment in my career. We have a great partnership with the state of South Dakota and Game Fish & Parks, and to be recognized for that was very special to us.”

Custer State Park Resort on pace to surpass record year with ongoing improvements