Rapid City's 20-year vision continues to take focus.

The non-profit Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates (which represents the state's nine tribes) will get its shot at creating a Native American art market and powwow grounds north of the Journey Museum. Last Monday, the Rapid City council members approved $150,000 of 2012 funds for the group that, combined with funds from Sen. Stan Adelstein and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, makes just more than $800,000 available for the project. The council's designation of the 2012 funds for the project will serve two primary functions: Promote regional events that are culturally significant for tourists while at the same time giving the Native American population a tool to preserve their culture.

Of course that's the intent of the Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates (ATTA) as well as the original intent of the 2012 funds. The ATTA's Web site outlines their intent to tap into the state's growing tourism market to benefit both the state and the state's tribes.

The ATTA insists the powwow garden and market will create jobs, opportunities for tourists and "build a bridge between our Native and non-native cultures in Rapid City and the region."

Frankly, we don't know how the project will be received in Rapid City by the locals and the tourists but we know it's movement in the right direction. It's one piece, we agree with the ATTA, in bridge building - that necessary and elusive time-consuming activity the community needs more of.

The 2012 fund was an idea hatched right at the 20th anniversary of the Rapid City flood. As city leaders looked back at what had been accomplished in the past 20 years, they realized the benefits of having a plan for the future. From that, came the efforts to establish the fund and list of projects - one of which was the powwow grounds and art market.

The funds - raised through a half-cent sales tax - have been used for dozens of worthwhile projects in the community such as the Journey Museum and a Dahl Arts Center expansion. The projects have made the community more viable, livable and culturally significant.

The powwow grounds may be completed by late 2010. Like the other worthwhile 2012 projects, we think this will follow suit and make Rapid City a better place to live and work.

And bridge building? Yes, we hope there's some of that, too.