City to Distribute On-Sale Liquor Licenses Using Sealed Bid Process

Published on August 02, 2024

Two on-sale liquor licenses are currently available for bid from the City of Sioux Falls. Applicants can submit sealed bids, and the liquor licenses will be awarded to the highest bidder(s) at a specified date and time.

The bid period for the on-sale liquor licenses started at 8 a.m. on July 22, 2024, and is open until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. Sealed bids must be submitted in person to the City Licensing Specialist or designee at City Hall (224 West Ninth Street) during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a $100 application fee for each application. All sealed bids will be time-stamped as they are received, which serves as the basis for determining the order of tie bids.

An on-sale liquor license is needed to sell any alcoholic beverage for consumption on the premises where sold, like bars and restaurants. The minimum bid for the on-sale liquor license is $240,646, which meets the state-determined minimum. The minimum bid amounts are aligned with what has been paid for the City’s past liquor licenses.

Sealed bids will be opened at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 8, 2024, in the Attorney’s Conference Room 103 at City Hall. The public is welcome to attend.

Bidders will be notified in writing of their award, which is conditional upon the applicant’s eligibility, suitability of the premises for the licenses, use of the license within two years for on-sale licenses, and compliance with all other state law and City ordinances. The names and amounts of bids for those conditionally awarded will be published online within five business days of the date on the written notice of the conditional awards.

Full details, bid forms, and instructions are available at www.siouxfalls.gov/liquorlicense.