House committee nixes ‘camping cabins’ at Custer State Park

By Bill Harlan, Journal staff | Monday, February 26, 2007

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PIERRE--Part of a $12 million plan for improvements at Custer State Park is in jeopardy after a legislative committee voted to cut 50 new “camping cabins” from the proposal.

The camping cabins n with electricity but no running water -- would have cost about $700,000, but they would have generated an additional $1.1 million to help pay the cost of other improvements throughout the park.

However, campground owners, including Rep. Alan Hanks, R-Rapid City, objected to the plan, saying the cabins would compete unfairly with private businesses near the park.

“There’s always been a commitment from the folks at Custer State Park not to infringe on the private sector,” Hanks told the House Appropriations Committee.

Hanks and Rep. Jeff Haverly, R-Rapid City, who is on the appropriations committee, also cited an informal but documented agreement in 1987 between campground owners and the state Game, Fish & Parks Department that park officials would consult with campgrounds before expanding.

“I did not see that happening at all,” Haverly said.

Doug Hofer, director of the department’s Wildlife Division, warned of two consequences of cutting the cabins: either some park improvements would have to be cut or another source of funding would be needed. “The dilemma is, where that $1.1 million is going to come from,” he said. “I don’t have an answer for that.”

But Hanks argued that there had always been an agreement that the park would offer “rustic” campsites, with no services, leaving “the RV folks” to private campgrounds.

The improvements include adding 30 new rooms to the State Game Lodge, adding a group area for large outdoor events and building a new wedding pavilion at Sylvan Lake.

“You’re robbing from the private sector to basically subsidize the revenue from the concessionaire,” Hanks said.

A private concessionaire operates lodges in the park.

Hofer said increased fees to the concessionaire would pay for those improvements. “There is nothing in those camping cabins paying for those facilities,” he said. Cabin revenue would pay for other improvements such as electrical and plumbing renovations.

Hofer also said that 20 years ago electricity was considered an amenity at campsites, but today campers expect it. He said 3,100 of 3,400 campsites at state parks throughout South Dakota offer electricity.

In addition, Hofer pointed out that Custer State Park spends about $4.6 million a year against revenues of $3.7 million n a deficit of about $859,000. Cabin revenue, after it pays part of the bonds for the improvements, could be used to pay operating expenses at the park.

Still, the House Appropriations Committee voted 6 to 3 to strip the cabins from SB218.

Now the measure goes to the House floor.

The Senate already has passed SB218 in its original form. If the amendment remains in the final House version, a conference committee will have to reconcile the two bills.

Contact Bill Harlan at 394-8424 or at bill.harlan@rapidcityjournal.com