Jeff Broin Donates 20.5 Acres to Expand Sioux Falls' Great Bear Park

Two years after purchasing the plot, Jeff and Tammie Broin handed over 20.5 acres to the City of Sioux Falls. The land sits on the park's southern edge, a strip that will stretch the 220‑acre Great Bear Recreation Park further into the city’s greenbelt. It will remain mostly untouched, a buffer of native habitat that the city can draw on when it plans new trails or wildlife corridors.

Broin, the founder and chief executive of POET, steers a biofuels empire that churns 3 billion gallons a year across eight states. His roots in South Dakota run deep—he’s been a key player in Growth Energy for 35 years and made a $1.3 million gift to the city’s trail network last year, adding a mile of boardwalk to the Lien Park corridor.

City officials say the donation has to clear a two‑step approval: first the Parks and Recreation Board, then the City Council. The agreement also bars motorized traffic except for maintenance, in line with the 2025 master plan that favours walking, hiking and wildlife habitat.

‘This land donation is an investment in a beloved outdoor space and strengthens Great Bear as a four‑season destination,’ Mayor Christine Erickson told reporters, echoing park manager Dan Grider’s praise that the Broins are “preserving a unique greenway” for future generations.

If the board gives its nod next week, the 20.5 acres will officially join the city’s park system, a move that could unlock further conservation projects and keep the 200,000‑visitor park thriving into the next decade.