Prior Lake, Minnesota - The Upper Sioux Community has been awarded a $1,000,000 grant from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to build a community administrative building. The new building will provide a space to consolidate six different facilities that house tribal operations’ staff and programs. The SMSC grant will be used along with an Indian Community Development Block Grant from the United States Housing and Urban Development Department for this project which will include a new medical clinic.

“Four of the existing buildings are inefficient, deteriorating, and causing health concerns. The high cost of maintaining these inefficient buildings would only have increased due to the continued deterioration of these outdated buildings. It is time that we have one central building to house all administrative staff that is energy-saving and cost-effective,” wrote Upper Sioux Community Chairman Kevin Jensvold in a letter to the SMSC Business Council. The grant will help fund construction, equipment, and furnishings.

The Upper Sioux Community and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community have had close social and cultural ties for generations.

In fiscal year 2007 the SMSC gave the Upper Sioux Community a $1,000,000 grant for land purchase. In fiscal year 2006 the SMSC gave the Upper Sioux Community $1,000,000 for economic and infrastructure development. Of that amount, $500,000 supported extensive repairs to the wastewater treatment plant, start-up costs for a police department, health benefits, and erosion control. The remaining $500,000 was used for capital improvements to the Prairies Edge Casino Resort near Granite Falls, Minnesota. From 1997 through 2005 the SMSC provided the Upper Sioux Community with more than $4.4 million in assistance.

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