Sept. 12, 2025:
A contract to operate a restaurant, bar and convenience store at a state Recreation Area north of Pierre has been approved by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission.
GFP asked for proposals to operate Spring Creek Resort about a handful of times, but didn’t get an acceptable bid to open the facilities at all during the summer of 2025.
Now, GFP Business Administrator Sean Blanchette says a family group from Highmore has agreed to provide all required services for the next five years.
Blanchette says the Rezac’s want to operate Spring Creek all year long, not just during the summer months.
The sale of off-sale malt beverages at the convenience store was also approved. A date for opening the Spring Creek Resort wasn’t mentioned during this month’s (Sept. 4-5, 2025) GFP Commission meeting when the agreement was approved.
The Spring Creek Recreation Area is located where Hughes and Sully counties meet, about 20 miles north of Pierre on South Dakota Highway 1804.
July 16, 2025:
After getting no viable bids in May or June, the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks has pushed the deadline back again, hoping to find someone to be the concessionaire at the Spring Creek Recreation Area north of Pierre.
Proposals are now due by 8am CT on July 25, 2025.
The Spring Creek Recreation Area is located where Hughes and Sully counties meet, 20 miles north of Pierre on Highway 1804.
The prospectus contains the details, terms and conditions necessary to submit a proposal for consideration. A copy is available on the GFP website or by contacting the Division of Parks and Recreation:
-
by mail at 523 East Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501, or
-
by phone at 605-773-3391.
Images courtesy of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
Images courtesy of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
Images courtesy of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
May 30, 2025:
After getting no bids in May, the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Department is making yet another attempt at finding someone to be the concessionaire at the Spring Creek Recreation Area north of Pierre.
Required services this time around include running the restaurant, with an additional option to operate the convenience store. Proposals are due by 8am CT on June 25, 2025. If no viable proposals are received by then, GFP will automatically extend the deadline to July 25 (8am CT).
The Spring Creek Recreation Area is located where Hughes and Sully counties meet, 20 miles north of Pierre on Highway 1804.
The prospectus contains the details, terms and conditions necessary to submit a proposal for consideration. A copy is available on the GFP website or by contacting the Division of Parks and Recreation:
-
by mail at 523 East Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501, or
-
by phone at 605-773-3391.
May 12, 2025:
The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Department is making another attempt at finding someone to operate the bar, steak house and convenience store at the Spring Creek Recreation Area north of Pierre.
The most recent request for bids from concessionaires were due in mid-April.
Parks and Recreation Division Director Jeff VanMeeteren says no one submitted a proposal. But, he says, they want to give the resort another shot at being open so they made a few changes to the prospectus for the facility.
If they don’t receive any bids this time around, VanMeeteren says they’ll make changes to the prospectus and send it out for bid, again.
The Spring Creek Recreation Area is located where Hughes and Sully counties meet north of Pierre on Highway 1804.
March 11, 2025:
The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Department is taking a second run at finding someone to operate the bar, steak house and convenience store at Spring Creek Recreation Area north of Pierre.
GFP Business Administrator Shawn Blanchette recently told the GFP Commission that there was some interest in operating the restaurant piece of Spring Creek Resort.
Blanchette says in the past, GFP has paid for nearly all of the operational costs.
GFP is proposing changes to the fees to include reimbursement for utility costs or a franchise fee of 4%.
Blanchette says if they don’t find a concessionaire in this second attempt, it might be the end of having a restaurant at Spring Creek.
Proposals are due by 8am CT on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Blanchette says a decision will most likely happen at the May GFP Commission.
The prospectus is available on the GFP website, by calling 605-773-3391 or by mailing a request to GFP Division of Parks and Recreation at 523 East Capitol, Pierre, SD, 57501. It contains the details, terms, and conditions necessary to submit a proposal for consideration. Required services include restaurant operation, with an additional option to operate the convenience store.
GF&P has no business running a resort. The state needs to sell it to someone who will run it like a legit business. That used to be a great steakhouse and c store when John and Marlene built it. Now the c store is a total joke. Sd GF&P has a enough problem doing what they are to do. They have no business trying to run a resort.