When we submitted our response to the Project Prison Reset Task Force, we considered the project as a potential driver of job creation and a source of meaningful economic impact for the region. This was the thought process that would have allowed both city staff and the City Council to weigh the merits and community implications in advance, should Box Elder be identified as a favorable site previous to the Task Force meeting on July 8, 2025. 

Since the submittal of the response to the RFI, we have received meaningful feedback from our community, and it has become clear that pursuing a correctional facility in Box Elder is not aligned with the sentiments of our residents or the current workforce realities within the Black Hills region.

We appreciate the opportunity to participate in the process and wish the state the very best in identifying the most suitable location for this important project. At this time, however, we are respectfully withdrawing our submission for consideration of a site in Box Elder, South Dakota.