From staff reports

Tourism numbers at the Falls Park Visitor Information Center are ahead of the first half of last year.

Almost 8,000 more people have visited the information center this year compared with the first six months of 2016, according to the Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau. During the month of June, the total increased by 4,000 visitors.

That doesn’t account for people who come to the park but don’t go to the information center.

“The CVB has continued to increase promotion of Sioux Falls throughout the country, and, obviously, Falls Park is a major attraction for visitors,” said Teri Schmidt, the CVB’s executive director.

“From offering the beautiful park, to the visitor center shop offering the largest selection of Sioux Falls memorabilia, a great cafe and now the Ag Experience, Falls Park has become a destination for visitors. The numbers prove sales and marketing efforts are working.”

The Stockyards Ag Experience opened this spring in the renovated Horse Barn. It offers an interactive farm-to-table exhibit and an interpretive center detailing the history of the Sioux Falls Stockyards and surrounding area.