RAPID CITY — Governor Larry Rhoden is proposing major upgrades for the South Dakota National Guard readiness center in Sturgis.
Rhoden wants to invest $2.4 million in state funds to leverage about $8 million in federal money to expand the readiness center to more than 26-thousand square feet. He says the current building is too small, outdated, and lacks dedicated classrooms, forcing soldiers to train elsewhere.
The governor is also seeking $30 million in federal funding to build a new 37-thousand square foot vehicle maintenance shop next to the facility. Officials say the existing shop is more than 50 years old and can’t handle modern military vehicles.
The proposal is part of Rhoden’s broader push to strengthen support for the National Guard.
