TenHaken, Thum oppose proposed prison locations in SF
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — As members of Project Prison Reset's task force consider where to recommend building a new men's prison in South Dakota, two city of Sioux Falls officials are making clear where they don't want the penitentiary's replacement to go.
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A letter dated May 6 from the office of Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken was received May 9 by the governor's office in Pierre. The letter, which is signed by TenHaken and Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum, addresses six different proposed locations for a new men's prison in the state. It asks the task force to look at 'the long-term well-being of the communities that support our state.'
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TenHaken and Thum oppose two proposed locations within Sioux Falls city limits: land to the immediate southwest of the intersection between Interstate 90 and Interstate 29 as well as the former Citibank campus in north Sioux Falls. They're similarly opposed to two other locations which are nearly within Sioux Falls city limits: one at the intersection of 259th Street and Marion Road and another south of Interstate 90 to the west of the city.
In the letter, the mayor and police chief write that locations close to Foundation Park, the corridor of Cliff Avenue and 60th Street and the intersection of I-29 and I-90 'are areas of significant strategic importance—not simply for Sioux Falls, but for the state as a whole.'
Thum and TenHaken say these spots impact investment, commerce and visibility for the whole state. Putting a prison in one of those four locations, they write, 'would constrain these advantages and limit the contributions Sioux Falls is able to make.'
Two proposed locations for the new prison do, however, have TenHaken and Thum's approval. One is in the Worthing, S.D. area south of Sioux Falls on Highway 18, and the other is the familiar site in Lincoln County between Harrisburg and Canton where a bill in Pierre failed to receive enough votes to appropriate money to build a prison. Nevertheless, it remains an option for the project.
KELOLAND News reached out Wednesday to the mayor's office as well as the Sioux Falls Police Department for interviews with TenHaken and Thum, but neither were made available. Project Prison Reset's next meeting is scheduled for June 3 in Pierre.
Another letter, from the Sioux Falls Development Foundation dated May 9, was also sent to the governor's office.
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Members of Project Prison Reset are also considering information from a study completed by consultant Arrington Watkins that points to an even bigger need. Work group members told KELOLAND News the state will need to review incarceration policies to find ways to reduce incarceration and recidivism numbers in the state.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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