September 9,  2020

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s administration is using federal coronavirus relief funds to pay for a $5 million tourism ad campaign aimed at drawing people to the state, even as it emerges as one of the nation’s top hot spots for COVID-19 infections.

The 30-second advertisement features the governor saying that “with our breathtaking landscapes and wide-open spaces, we’re a place to safely explore.”

But the state currently ranks second in the country for new cases per capita over the last two weeks.

The governor’s spokesman says the ad will help promote an industry vital to the state.