Stock Show crowds will compete for slightly fewer parking spaces this year. Construction of the new civic center addition is taking up 133 parking spaces. But that still leaves 3,620 total spaces with the shared parking at the civic center and The Journey Museum, Maliske said.

The civic center will again operate eight small shuttle buses between the civic center and the Central and Journey Museum parking lots. Those 24-person buses will run constantly during the day. The stock show begins Jan. 25.

Also, two larger buses will run between the civic center and the Pennington County Event Center at the Central States Fairgrounds, where many of the horse events are headquartered.

Parking is at a premium during the busy weekend days at the stock show, Maliske said. But, he added, "The best problem a business can have is a need for more parking."

Construction of the addition has necessitated another change. The second floor near the top of the escalator was formerly occupied by art booths. But that area is becoming club seating for the new facility.

The art exhibits are being moved to the theater lobby, where they will be called the Western Art Corner.

On the other end of the building, five box seats have been built in the south bleacher area of the arena for the rodeo. The boxes are being sold to businesses or other groups for all 10 performances of the rodeo.

In addition, the Cowboy Bar on the second floor has been revamped, with additional stations and a new look. Maliske noted that the Cowboy Bar will be smokeless this year.

Maliske said about 55,000 people traditionally come through the civic center on the second Saturday of the stock show. "It is the single busiest day of the year for the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center."

The first Saturday of the stock show has become the second biggest day of the year at the civic center.

Maliske said the civic center's entire year depends upon the success of the stock show.

His biggest worry each year is weather. "If the weather holds, we'll have a good stock show, and our whole year will be good," he said. If stock-show attendance is down 10 percent to 15 percent, Maliske said, it's nearly impossible for the civic center to make that up over the rest of the year.

Contact Steve Miller at 394-8417 or steve.miller@rapidcityjournal.com