The South Dakota Supreme Court has invalidated the 2015 incorporation of the Buffalo Chip Campground as a municipality.
The high court agreed that Buffalo Chip did not meet the established criteria for creating a city in South Dakota.
The original filing for incorporation in February 2015 was immediately disputed by a group of Meade County residents and the City of Sturgis.
That legal challenge was dismissed on technical grounds, primarily on who could bring a challenge and the process that was needed, but a later challenge was filed under those criteria.
After Thursday’s Supreme Court decision, Sturgis issued a statement saying the city was “pleased with the Supreme Court’s ruling, validating the principles brought forth from both County residents and the City of Sturgis.”
The statement also said the city looks forward to continued work with the Buffalo Chip Campground during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.