Steiger said.
Beyond hotel meeting space, the
250,000-square-foot Rushmore Plaza Civic
Center, a downtown facility situated beside
the lovely Memorial Park, includes two
arenas, a 1,774-seat theater and over 15
meeting rooms.
The Central States Fairgrounds, popular with agricultural groups, according to
Steiger, features a 6,000-seat grandstand,
a 118,000-square-foot event center and 45
additional acres of event space.
The city is also home to several attractions that double as off-site venues for
group gatherings, including the Journey
Museum & Learning Center and Main
Street Square.
“To get a complete grasp and appreciation for Rapid City and the beautiful Black
Hills, every group should start their voyage
with an opening reception at the Journey
Museum,” Steiger said. “Main Street Square
is an excellent option for a banquet or social mixer in the heart of downtown.”
Off-Session Exploration
Historic downtown should be the first stop
for group excursions in Rapid City.
Here, attendees will find a vibrant arts
scene that includes Art Alley, several art
galleries, murals painted on buildings,
Elks Theatre, the Performing Arts Center of
Rapid City, the Suzie Cappa Art Center and
the City of Presidents, which is a series of
life-size bronze statues situated along the
city’s streets and sidewalks that planners
can work into a fun scavenger hunt.
Downtown is also home to Native American arts-and-crafts trading posts, jewelry
and antique sellers, quaint restaurants,
nightclubs, three breweries, including
Firehouse Brewing Co., one winery and a
speakeasy.
“Rapid City’s downtown district really
comes alive with a plethora of events hap-
pening nearly every week, and throughout
the summer, every Thursday night, Summer
Nights rocks the streets with its two free
concerts occurring at the same time,” Stei-
ger added.
In addition to the sites surrounding
Rapid City, groups can visit Custer State
Park, which is located 28 miles south of the
city and home to abundant wildlife, from
bighorn sheep and antelope to coyote,
prairie dogs and one of the nation’s largest
free-roaming buffalo herds.
Groups can arrange a number of activities at the park, including jeep rides alongside the buffalo herds, horseback riding,
guided fly-fishing, kayaking, mountain
biking and chuck wagon suppers.
Each fall, Custer State Park hosts the
Buffalo Roundup & Arts Festival, Steiger
added, and during the summer, the Black
Hills Playhouse offers professional theater
performances.
Outdoor Campus West is another stellar
option for groups wanting to incorporate the great outdoors into
their agenda.
“Explore trails, prairie,
wetland and stream
habitats outside while
being guided and
educated by Game,
Fish and Parks staff,”
Steiger said. “Groups
can also rock climb,
kayak and learn
archery at Outdoor
Campus West.”
Winding Down
At the end of a day of meetings,
there are after-hours opportunities for
groups looking to continue networking
away from the meeting room.
“The culinary scene within Rapid City
has a taste for nearly every craving,” Steiger
said.
The group-friendly lineup includes vari-
ous eateries like Botticelli Ristorante Italia-
no, Fuji Japanese Steakhouse, Kathmandu
Bistro, Que Pasa Cantina: A Mexican
Kitchen & Tequila Bar, Tally’s Silver Spoon,
Delmonico Grill, Murphy’s Pub & Grill and
Dakotah Steakhouse.
“For a private group experience, kol,
the Blind Lion speakeasy and Wine Barrel
Room below the Firehouse Wine Cellars are
all great options,” Steiger added. “Anoth-
er great dining idea for groups is to have
a food truck show up in Memorial Park,
Canyon Lake or any other beautiful location
within Rapid City.”
After a meal, groups can check out Press
Start, a vintage arcade that’s certain to elicit
nostalgia for attendees of a certain age. But
all ages will have a ball while playing some
of the nearly 200 arcade games and enjoy-
ing a cocktail.
Vertex Sky Bar, an upscale rooftop bar
atop the Hotel Alex Johnson, is another
great place to toast over cocktails
at the conclusion of business.
And located in the heart
of the Black Hills about
a 40-minute drive
from Rapid City is the
iconic town of Dead-
wood, which was
made even more
famous in recent
years after the airing
of the brilliant name-
sake HBO series.
Deadwood, where
Wild West legends includ-
ing Wild Bill, Calamity Jane
and Seth Bullock once roamed
around, is a hit any time of day, but in the
evening, this casino town welcomes groups
that would like to try their luck. m
VERTEX SKY BAR,
RAPID CITY
VISIT RAPID CITY
605.718.8484
www.visitrapidcity.comi
More RAPID CITY...
MeetingsToday.com
MOUNT RUSHMORE
Latest + Greatest
➜ Best Western Ramkota ( www.best
western.com) is on track to complete
a remodel of its 267 guest rooms by
December.
➜ In June, Ramada Rapid City (www.rapid
cityramada.com) completed a makeover,
including updates to its 204 guest
rooms and lobby and the expansion of
its on-site convention center, which now
accommodates up to 800 people.
➜ In May, Hotel Alex Johnson ( www.alex
johnson.com) completed a renovation
and is now a Hilton Curio partner.
➜ Holiday Inn Express & Suites Rapid
City-Rushmore South (www.hiexpress.
com/rapidcitysd) opened in April with
99 guest rooms and a meeting room for
up to 20 people.
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