No, GFP did not add more campsites

As we deal with weighty issues locally, statewide, and nationally, I thought we could all use a little humor … and a reality check.

You may remember that in 2022 Gov. Noem proposed a 176-campsite expansion on 75 acres at Custer State Park. The bill was sent to the House AG and Natural Resources Committee (where I serve) and was met with overwhelming opposition. campground owners, Custer County residents, and people from around the world contacted legislators voicing their disapproval. I personally received more than 2,000 emails, a record. After that strong of a pushback, the governor and Game, Fish & Parks (GFP) revised the plan to seek a 66-site expansion on 50 acres.

During committee testimony, I opposed the expansion because I trust private enterprise to rise to meet demand without government competing against them. And they were already doing just that — two campground owners were expanding on their own: one by 30 sites, another by 37 sites confirming my belief that private citizens and businesses often rise to meet needs of a community given the opportunity. 

Fast forward to September 2025: I get a call from a Custer campground owner who was furious after reading a newspaper article claiming GFP had added 88 new campsites to Custer State Park in the last year. As you can imagine, the news spread quickly among campground owners. They had fought hard against the expansion and couldn’t believe that GFP would move ahead with adding 88 campsites without legislative approval.

I immediately called GFP. Even though they were busy preparing for the upcoming Buffalo Round-up, they dropped everything and investigated immediately. They came to find out that it appears the reporter accessed a podcast that was posted to the GFP’s website outlining what had been accomplished over this past year. The commentator of the podcast had said that this past year GFP had added ADA features and benefits to a few campsites. 

However, the reporter heard they had added “88” campsites and based her article on what she had heard. I get it. It’s an easy mistake. When used in conversation, ADA sounds a whole lot like 88. GFP confirmed the misunderstanding and requested a correction be issued. I was so relieved to hear that news, I couldn’t help but chuckle a little. What a mess this could have caused.

I quickly called my campground owners and clarified the situation. After a long pause, one owner who had been quite upset calmly said, “oh, well, that is a totally understandable mistake.” Yes, it is, however, lesson learned: in life as well as politics, we need to gather all the facts, then verify, verify and verify again. 

This is a great example of how a little misunderstanding can snowball into something much bigger if the facts aren’t double and even triple checked. It’s a reminder of how essential clear communication and verification is. Missteps, even unintentional, can lead to frustration and confusion among constituents and stakeholders.

Let’s keep working together with a little patience, a sense of humor, and a whole lot of verifying.