Sports
Plans move forward on indoor training, events and sports facility in Mitchell
MITCHELL – A years-long dream of an indoor sports complex in Mitchell may just get its day under a roof as locals come together to plan a multi-purpose sports and community center. Mitchell City Council member Mike Bathke shared with the hotelier’s tax district board that he and others are moving forward on a 116,000 […]
MITCHELL – A years-long dream of an indoor sports complex in Mitchell may just get its day under a roof as locals come together to plan a multi-purpose sports and community center.
Mitchell City Council member Mike Bathke shared with the hotelier’s tax district board that he and others are moving forward on a 116,000 square foot indoor sports facility in Mitchell, and that he is putting together a business plan and funds to move forward with the project.
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The Mitchell BID No. 4 Tax District board met on Wednesday, June 18, and during the citizen’s input portion, Bathke shared his plans for the project. Bathke told the board a construction cost of $21 million, according to rough numbers he has received from Palace Builders.
Bathke told the Mitchell Republic that the project will be a minimum of $17.5 million, and that there are many variables to consider, including insulated metal panels, lighting and turf. The rising prices of materials may also play into the cost of construction.
“We’re just trying to get the concept out there because this is what we’ve been hearing people actually want,” Bathke told the Mitchell Republic.
Bathke told the Mitchell Republic that now is the time to be bidding projects because the economy is slowing down. In a slow economy, projects could receive more competitive bids.
The board last met on March 26, when hoteliers clarified their preference for
The winter event center topic was the result of a survey conducted by BID No. 4 board vice-chair Jerry Thomsen.
Indoor sports facilities enable year-round practice, game play, and training free from the elements.
“We want to be very frugal with the taxpayers’ money,” said Bathke, who noted that the most cost effective construction option for the sports facility may be a steel building.
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A design could accommodate a larger expansion later, but the starting point is an affordable budget, according to Thomsen.
“The number one goal is to serve people who are currently not being served in the wintertime,” Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson said.
The indoor facility will have space for soccer, tennis, pickleball, and football, with talk of accommodating volleyball, softball, and other games.
Hanson and Bathke have formed a committee of sports leaders, hoteliers, and others to provide feedback on the indoor sports facility.
“We’re not going to pick a location yet,” Bathke told the board.
Bathke shared that he and his wife had considered building a tennis facility, and pivoted to a multipurpose facility. In addition, Bathke is working on a business plan for the indoor facility, something he has been critical of the Mitchell City Council for not doing on city projects.
“It doesn’t work with just throwing it out there, not understanding how we’re going to actually pay for it,” Bathke said.
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The indoor facility will not have a basketball gymnasium, according to Bathke, who said there were already 17 basketball gymnasiums in town. Bathke hopes that the Mitchell School District board will allow more use of gyms for the public, citing that the taxpayers paid for them.
Bathke’s son plays tennis, and Bathke told the board that Sioux Falls tennis players are better tennis players because they are able to practice year-round at indoor facilities in Sioux Falls.
“We don’t have the facilities to practice year-round like these other kids do,” Bathke said.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
Thomsen called a potential indoor sports complex a win-win for the community and for the hospitality sector.
“I want these younger kids to have options that are healthy and good for them in the winter months, instead of just sitting behind a computer screen playing video games,” Thomsen said.
Thomsen told the Mitchell Republic that he is a Corn Palace supporter, and that if a donor paid for the Corn Palace expansion he would support it right now.
“My decision will be based on which has the biggest bang for the buck for both the community and the generation of revenue for the community, and I think this – at the end of the day – appears to be more favorable.” Thomsen said. “I just don’t think we have enough money to do the Corn Palace, a multi-use sports facility, and a lake.”
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Board member Tim Smith suggested that Bathke reach out to DWU to coordinate efforts.
Bathke cited the Fishback Indoor Training Facility in Brookings as a proven and successful model of how an indoor sports facility should work. The facility has 12,000 plus square feet of turf and a 50 yards by 30 yards area dedicated to soccer training and small sided tournaments. The facility has two full size batting cages, a walking track and meeting areas.
In comparison, the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls is 91,000 square feet, and boasts indoor space for soccer, baseball, softball, and football.
Board approves recommendation for 2026 budget
The board approved $150,000 of BID No. 4 tax funds for the 2026 Sports and Events Authority (SEA) budget, and approved allocating any remaining 2025 Sports and Events Authority fund balance to 2026’s budget. BID No. 4 funds come from the $2 per room per night tax on hotel rooms in Mitchell.
Thomsen read aloud hotelier’s anonymous comments on the survey he conducted. One comment stated that the city of Mitchell should not have access to the BID No. 4 funds.
In the past, hotel BID tax funds were used to fund the indoor pool and the ice arena construction, according to Thomsen.
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Bathke told the board he was counting on their support for the indoor facility.
Thomsen told the Mitchell Republic that it would take a majority vote of the BID No. 4 board to approve funds toward the indoor sports complex. Any potential funds would be limited to what is left after the SEA is funded.
“We do not have an unlimited budget, so we have to be wise on what we build and what we get the biggest bang for the buck,” Thomsen said.
The BID No. 4 board welcomed Bathke to share about progress made on the indoor sports complex at its next meeting.
Bathke plans to present the topic to the Mitchell City Council at its first meeting in July.
“We’re a long way from the finish line,” Bathke said.
Sports
About Town Redondo: Home invasion, arrests; ocean water polo, Post Office upgrade
About Town Redondo: Home invasion, arrests; ocean water polo, Post Office upgrade – Easy Reader & Peninsula Magazine Skip to content Police catch, arrest home invasion suspects Responding to a pre-6 a.m. disconnected 911 call about someone pointing a gun at another inside a car Aug. 17, Redondo […]
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Police catch, arrest home invasion suspects
Responding to a pre-6 a.m. disconnected 911 call about someone pointing a gun at another inside a car Aug. 17, Redondo Beach Police officers tracked the report to the 1900 block of Matthews Avenue.
Officers canvassed the area, learning that two residents had been victims of a home invasion, and the suspects fled on foot just before police arrived. Officers gave chase and took the two men into custody without incident.
Jesus Velez, 31, from Rochester, New York and Draven Luna, 21, Queens, New York, were arrested and charged with robbery, burglary and kidnapping. Bail for each was set at $100,000.
RBPD detectives now prepare to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The two victims were treated at the scene by the Redondo Beach Fire Department and taken to a hospital, listed in stable condition. Their identities were withheld as the RBPD investigates the specific circumstances and motives of the incident.
Detectives believe there are no outstanding suspects, and no further threat to the community.
Anyone with information regarding the alleged crime is asked to contact RBPD Detective Coates at (310) 379-2477, ext. 3506.
King Harbor ocean water polo tournament coming; boat parade route expands
Ocean water polo in King Harbor will debut Sept. 20. A tournament with up to 10 teams, including at least two women’s, is set for a demonstration which may become an annual event.
Earlier this year, a water polo club approached Redondo Beach Mayor Jim Light about the idea, following a previous attempt at such an event by Redondo Beach Firefighter Grant Currie.
The Sept. 20 tournament is meant as a proof-of concept, said the mayor, the idea being to approve a long-term event. Currie and Vedran Kaluderovic – City Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic’s husband, a longtime water polo player – are working together to organize the brackets.
Courts will be set up in the water between Riviera Mexican Grill and California Surf Club, a short-term location to take advantage of better spectator vantage points, before the proposed boat ramp goes in at the spot. Courts in the future are slated to be near the Joe’s Crab Shack site.
Ocean water polo is established in Europe but rare in the United States.
“We’re trying to activate the waterfront,” said City Councilman Chadwick Castle. “We want to draw more people down so we can all use and enjoy it.”
In addition, King Harbor Yacht Club’s “Holiday Boat Parade” will have a new route in December, to go closer to the Pier and the corner by Riviera Mexican Cantina, to make it more spectator-friendly.
“This is the only parade we have in Redondo Beach,” Castle said.
Post Office upgrades sorting and delivery center
The U.S. Postal Service has announced an update to the Redondo Beach Sorting and Delivery Center, to aid in operational precision and improve service performance.
“These new, state-of-the-art facilities will help make the Postal Service more efficient, more capable and more competitive for the future,” said Brian Cuellar, Redondo Beach Postmaster. “The investments we’ve made here represent more than just an upgrade; they represent a commitment to our employees, our customers and the future of the Postal Service.”
The modernized, local sorting and delivery center is one of 111 recently launched across the country, as part of a $19 billion investment to revitalize USPS processing, transportation and delivery networks. ER