Gov. Larry Rhoden kicks off his “Open for Opportunity Tour.”
His administration said it hopes the tour connects the government to the people and signals that South Dakota’s state government wants to support businesses.
Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen and Gov. Rhoden open the tour focusing on the state’s economy. Rhoden did so walking in holding the Governor’s Cup above his head at a kickoff event in Sioux Falls.
Site Selection Magazine awards the cup to the governor of the state with the highest number of economic projects per capita.
Rhoden said the state was open for business during the Noem Administration, and he plans to continue that agenda.
“Because I am very high on South Dakota. On our tour, some of the businessmen we met today that had moved here from other states. And they are just giddy about South Dakota,” Rhoden said. “And we need to get a perspective on that, and our attitudes and the people that we elect and getting engaged in the communities and the politics, and getting the right people in Pierre representing it. It’ll be my goal in life to make sure we continue on that track.”
However, some are skeptical the state really is open for business after the latest legislative session, where lawmakers passed legislation critics say unfairly targets a Summit Carbon Solution’s pipeline project.
Lt. Gov. Venhuizen disagrees with that train of thought.
And there have been some people saying, ‘Well does it send a more general message?’ I don’t know if it does. I mean we just spent the day meeting with businesses and talking about their development and new facilities and plans to build new facilities and the development downtown," Venhuizen said. "And not one person has brought it up all day as a factor in their decision making. I really hope that that’s an issue that we can just move on from because I think South Dakota has a lot going for it."
Still – many citizens were unhappy with the state of South Dakota’s economy – voicing their concerns about Trump’s tariffs, property tax relief for renters and wanting more openness for state credit cards.
Gov. Rhoden and Lt. Gov. Venhuizen welcome the concerns saying hearing citizen concerns is a piece to this tour.
