Rapid City’s long planned regional sports complex reached another milestone this week after city officials announced Sanford Health as the project’s naming rights partner, a move Mayor Jason Salamun called another major step toward making the facility a reality.

During the latest episode of Meeting with the Mayor, Salamun said Sanford Health has agreed to a 20 year, $10 million naming rights partnership that will help fund construction of the complex.

“The big news is that Sanford Health will be our naming rights partner,” Salamun said. “They are doing a $10 million 20 year agreement, and that will help us, of course, bring this sports complex to life.”

Salamun said the agreement, which will go before the Rapid City Council, has been in the works for some time and is structured to provide more funding earlier in the project to assist with construction.

He also addressed misconceptions that the failed Destination District vote ended plans for the sports complex.

“Folks, this thing’s going to happen,” Salamun said. “We’ve been working on this for over three years.”

The mayor explained that while the failed proposal affected infrastructure plans around the development, the city adjusted the project by changing roadway access and continuing to secure private partnerships to fill funding gaps.

Beyond the sports complex, Salamun previewed a proposed city ordinance aimed at limiting large scale data centers in Rapid City. He said the proposal would prohibit hyperscale data centers while requiring conditional use permits for larger facilities and allowing smaller data centers that support local businesses.

“Ultimately I want to protect our water,” Salamun said. “It’s about the people, not the technology for me.”

The conversation also touched on Rapid City’s proposed 2027 budget, which includes no property tax increase and what Salamun described as the largest investment in city roads in Rapid City history.

Before the episode concluded, Salamun also hinted that residents will not have to wait much longer to learn whether he plans to seek another term as mayor.

“I’ve given myself the summer to process the decision,” he said. “Once the summer’s over, we hit into the fall, I will make that announcement one way or the other.”