Brookings owns a research park, the hospital, a nursing home, the liquor store, the water, the sewer system, the garbage collection, the phone company, the power company, an entertainment venue, the golf course, a new rec center and is host to South Dakota's largest public university, a federally subsidized cheese and dairy industry and a rebranded medical products manufacturer that poisoned parts of town with forever chemicals.
Daktronics is a thriving progressive technocracy while Brookings Utilities and the town's administration is a right wing mob so go figure. Recall that from the state that controls much of the means of production one of South Dakota's Earth hating former governors called Georgia's two Democratic US Senators, Communists.
So, today there is much jubilation about Target opening on the outskirts of Brookings but also significant sadness about the fire that took the 145 year-old Brost Building, several businesses and apartments downtown.
A unanimous Brookings City Council vote to buy downtown land at 210 Front St. for $450,000 drew public skepticism during the council’s July 14 meeting, even as city leaders defended the purchase as a critical piece of a larger economic puzzle. The land in question is just southwest of the facility shared by the Brookings fire and police departments and is situated near the Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern railroad tracks. A grain elevator is housed on the property and the city owns the land east of 210 Front St. as well. [City’s land purchase draws pushback in Brookings]
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"That is a striking and accurate summary of how deeply interconnected the city government, public institutions, and industry are in Brookings, South Dakota. The city operates under a unique municipal model where the local government owns and runs several entities that are typically private or regional utilities in other towns.
Here is a breakdown of the specific entities and dynamics you mentioned:Municipal Monopolies and UtilitiesThe Liquor Store: Brookings operates municipal liquor stores (Swiftel Center location and downtown), meaning the city directly profits from alcohol sales to fund public projects.
The Phone Company: The city owns Swiftel Communications, a municipally operated telecommunications company providing local phone, internet, and cable.Utilities: Brookings Municipal Utilities (BMU) controls the local water, wastewater (sewer), and electric infrastructure.
The Hospital & Nursing Home: Brookings Health System is a city-owned, non-profit health organization that includes the hospital and the Brookings-Brookings Health System Living Center (nursing home).Venues & Parks: The city owns the Swiftel Center (the major entertainment venue), the Edgebrook Golf Course, and the expansive Brookings Activity Center and rec facilities.
The Research Park: The Brookings Innovation Center at the SDSU Innovation Campus is a joint initiative driving regional economic development.
South Dakota State University (SDSU): As the state's largest land-grant university, SDSU anchors the town's economy, culture, and population.
Dairy and Cheese: The Davis Dairy Plant at SDSU and major local commercial processors (like Bel Brands/Sargento partnerships in the region) solidify Brookings as a massive hub for federally subsidized dairy research and production.
The Manufacturer and Forever Chemicals: This refers to the legacy of local manufacturing (historically associated with companies like Larson Manufacturing or medical/industrial component plants in the area) where industrial manufacturing practices led to localized environmental concerns, specifically involving PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) or "forever chemicals" affecting local groundwater, prompting rebranding, mitigation, and ongoing monitoring."
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