The 2010 Initiative outlines a series of specific goals for economic growth and visitor spending in the state by the year 2010. When our vision is fully realized, the 2010 Initiative will yield an unprecedented era of opportunity and economic development for our state. It’s an exciting and important undertaking, one that will have lasting impact for all of us here in South Dakota .
The 2010 Initiative was unveiled October 15 and 16 at the 2010 Summit at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Look to this site in the weeks to come for more information on the development and progress of the 2010 Initiative.
View 2010 Video
GOAL ONE: Double Visitor Spending from $600 Million to $1.2 Billion by 2010
1A. Change the way we market South Dakota
• Identify and target niche markets, with emphasis on emerging markets, including international
• Reshape and redeploy “Great Faces. Great Places.” slogan and logo
• Target advertising to specific audiences
• Place an emphasis on destination packaging and call for sales versus call for inquiries
• Educate industry people on what today’s visitors want and expect; establish best practices and communicate through regular updates
1B. Focus new energy and investment on expanding the fall shoulder season for visitors in order to increase the percentage of tourism revenues for this season to 42 percent
• Create a new marketing plan that focuses on vacation packages
• Invest in promotions to expand the shoulder season
• Attract "reverse snowbirds"
1C. Expand investment in tourism’s peak season through greater use of partnerships and cooperative efforts
• Establish partnerships to pool resources (e.g. Rapid City Air Service Task Force, Mickelson Trail, South Dakota Advertising Cooperative, National Park Service)
• Develop coordinated marketing plans
• Continue Governor’s $1 million challenge for 2005 and 2006
1D. Develop a statewide “one-click, one-call” reservation system by 2005
• Work with visitor industry
• Make it easy for visitors to purchase packages and make travel arrangements
1 E. Capitalize on the existing outdoor opportunities in our state
• Develop greater recreational opportunities along the state- and Corps-owned land along the Missouri River
• Recognize the effect of camping, hunting and fishing opportunities on our quality of life
• Improve access, signage and mapping of the state’s trail ride opportunities and biking and hiking trails
GOAL TWO: Increase GSP ( Gross State Product) by $10 billion by 2010
2A. Promote the creation and development of new businesses
• Launch South Dakota Entrepreneurship Program
– Re-establish Inventor’s Congress with local Chambers of Commerce
– Establish handholding infrastructure
• Connect entrepreneurs with handholders, grant-writers, mentors, angel investors
• Coordinate with existing entities (e.g. SBIR, SBDC, Enterprise Institute, SCORE)
• Introduce finance program changes
– Increase MicroLoan lending limit to $50,000 and incorporate into REDI Fund with new legislation
– Loan $3 million from REDI fund to regional revolving loan funds
– Establish high opportunity fund with REDI board
• Develop new industry clusters and enhance those already existing (healthcare, biotech, financial, insurance, firearms)
2B. Promote the growth/expansion of existing businesses
• Create Red Tape Task Force to review state statutes
• Re-establish Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
• Re-establish Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
• Assist with branding and marketing of products produced in South Dakota
– Re-institute South Dakota Made program
– Help South Dakota companies develop Internet presence
• Make finance program changes
– Alter REDI rules to make money easier to obtain
– Raise bonding limit to $5 million
2C. Promote agricultural and natural resource development in South Dakota
• Continue to fund feasibility study for value-added projects
– Dakota Prime, Dakota Turkey Growers, Storied Beef, etc.
• Become a net energy exporter
– Ethanol
– Biodiesel fuel
– Wind energy
GOAL THREE: Become a Recognized Leader in Research and Technology Development by 2010
3A. Secure Homestake Mine for use as an underground science laboratory
• Establish Homestake Conversion Lab Project
• Commit funding to ensure federal approval
3B. Improve ranking to at least 30th nationally for NSF funding
• Work towards graduating from NSF EPSCoR
• Fund EPSCoR match
• Develop a nanotechnology center
3C. Develop research and technology infrastructure at our universities and with the private sector (Emphasis on research that can be commercialized and will benefit South Dakota)
• Create a Research and Development and Tech Transfer Office
– Cooperative effort between state, Board of Regents and private sector
– Hire specialized faculty for research
– Coordinate efforts to secure grants
– Change intellectual property procedures to increase the number of patents issued and licensed in South Dakota
• Encourage development of tech centers and incubators
• Promote further cooperation with EROS
• Further develop university research niches (e.g. BHSU with tourism and DSU with technology security)
• Coordinate cooperative research efforts between private businesses (like Hematech), universities, healthcare providers and other public institutions
GOAL FOUR: Brand and Develop South Dakota ’s Quality of Life as the Best in America by 2010
4A. Enhance South Dakota 's image to young people in an effort to retain and import young adults.
• Establish Dakota Corps program in 2004
• Work with South Dakota businesses and post-secondary education to identify needs and broaden internship opportunities
• Promote South Dakota in terms of culture, employment and quality of life to young adults
4B. Enhance History and Arts as a tool for economic development and cultural tourism
• Quantify the economic impact of arts and history in South Dakota
• Advance history and arts as essential to lifelong learning
– Promote State Historical Society’s traveling museum exhibits and educational kits programs
– Expand the Arts in School Program and Arts in Community Programs
– Discover opportunities for expanding other history and arts programs
4C. Stabilize rural populations through community development
• Build up infrastructure
– Railroad (e.g. DME expansion)
– Water projects (e.g. Lewis and Clark)
– Communication (e.g. wireless service in every community)
• Facilitate cooperation between cities and the towns near them
• Facilitate the development of community plans
• Continue statewide beautification program
• Cooperate with statewide and community groups on leadership programs
• Develop government resource directory
4D. Stimulate affordable homeownership, rental housing and day care facilities in South Dakota communities which evidence a need
• Collaborate with our partners to secure and invest $2 billion in private and public capital to provide for affordable owner occupied housing, rental housing and daycare facilities
• Expand existing partnerships, programs and services to provide homeownership and rental development opportunities and federal subsidies to the state's low-income working residents, the elderly and persons with disabilities
• Create service-enriched, permanent housing opportunities for the homeless population to end chronic homelessness in ten years
• Support investment of private capital to provide leverage for tribal initiatives which increase homeownership on the reservations
• Improve upon the coordination, promotion and marketing of SDHDA programs and capabilities to better serve our partners, individuals and families in South Dakota
• Uphold the 2010 Initiative and SDHDA goals as a work in progress
4E. Improve cooperative efforts with the Native American tribes
• Establish lasting tribal partnerships
• Assist in developing business infrastructure with the tribes, when invited
• Continue to improve rural tourism efforts with tribes
• Engage in a summit process with tribes, as invited
• Increase staffing of the Office of Tribal Relations
• Promote the establishment of cultural, non-competitive exchanges between reservation and non-reservation schools, if invited
GOAL FIVE: Uphold Our Commitment to the 2010 Initiative as a Work in Progress
5A. Assign implementation to Department of Tourism and State Development
• Make department directors responsible for on-going pursuit and development
• Fund first three years with cost savings and existing resources in State government; reevaluate in 2006
5B. Create ongoing update and accountability structure for 2010 Initiative
• Post regular updates on 2010initiative.com web site
• Encourage review by groups and committees (e.g. Boys and Girls State , university classes, Chiesman Foundation, business and community leaders)
• Provide media with updates on a regular basis
• Formal annual review
