Black Hills Playhouse Receives a Second Chance (audio)

Air Date:03/29/2010

By Eryn Clement

The Black Hills Playhouse legislation will go into law despite a veto by Governor Mike Rounds. Monday lawmakers voted to over-ride the Governor’s veto and give the Black Hills Playhouse a chance to stay in business.

The Black Hills Playhouse has been a part of Custer State Park for over sixty years. Senate bill 102 has been referred to as the last chance bill for the theater. The bill gives the theater until September of 2012 to repair its sewage system and some of its dilapidated buildings. Opponents say the theater’s needs are beyond repair. Senator Scott Heidepriem is a proponent of the bill. He says the only fair thing to do is to allow the Playhouse to continue its lease agreement until 2012.

“The Black Hill’s Playhouse is an institution that has existed for sixty-two continuous years. To terminate that tradition under these circumstances to me would be unfair and unwise,” says Heidepriem.

Senate bill 102 passed by a two-thirds vote in the State House and Senate and will now become law.

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