Vermillion Technology Center

[yote14]

Looks like there are 2 businesses moving into the new technology building. I like that they are companies in the medical field and appear to be pretty good jobs.

siouxcityjournal.com/business/local/vermillion-announces-new-businesses-in-technology-center/article_9bdffeba-6750-5f76-93ff-4defcd9b7b1d.html

On a side note when I was in the B-school an economics professor wrote a paper on why Sioux Falls has flourished over the past 30 years and Sioux City has not. It was based off Sioux Falls attracting Medical and Business jobs and Sioux City attracting manufacturing and physical labor jobs.

[Yote 53]

Would love to read that paper but can probably list the main reason, South Dakota's business friendly tax code. Sioux City's leaders haven't always been very forward thinking and relied on manufacturing and agribusiness (meat packing) jobs for far too long and did not diversify the city's economy fast enough as the country moved to a more service and tech industry based economy. In their defense it is much more difficult to collaborate with leaders in municipalities across multiple cities, counties, and states. Much easier for Sioux Falls' leaders to map out the future of the city when they only have to deal with the city council, Minnehaha County, and Lincoln County. Sioux City has to collaborate with Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury County, Plymouth County (which has made a concerted effort to stop Sioux City's growth into that county by resisting annexation), State of Iowa, South Sioux City, Dakota City, Dakota County, State of Nebraska, North Sioux City, Dakota Dunes, Union County, State of South Dakota. That is an awful lot of State, County, and Municipal governments that you have to maneuver through and interests you have to placate in order to get things done.

There are some good things happening in Sioux City now but I doubt they can ever catch up to Sioux Falls growth. One thing I will say is Sioux City is filled with a very rich history. The history book and the stories about Sioux City are much more interesting than Sioux Falls.

[coyote70]

Regarding Sioux Falls' growth, I agree that South Dakota's business friendly tax environment was (and still is) a deciding factor when comparing its growth to Sioux City. The tipping point in my mind was Citibank's choice of Sioux Falls for their credit card processing center many years ago. Since that time, of course, the city has experienced tremendous growth.

When I first came to the University, I had never been to Sioux City. It didn't take me long to really like the town, though. In fact I came to like it more than Sioux Falls. I think in great part it was due to the downtown area. Maybe it seemed a little quaint as well.

I haven't been back to Sioux City in quite awhile. I sincerely hope it is growing and doing well.