Rushmore, National Park Service milestones may drive tourism

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota officials hope a pair of high-profile milestones and stable gas prices bring vacationers to the state during the 2016 tourism season, which will be well underway by the end of May.

The 75th anniversary of the completion of Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the National Park Service's centennial celebration are expected to help fuel interest and bring in visitors, state Tourism Secretary Jim Hagen said.

Mount Rushmore is hosting events to celebrate the anniversary of the carving's completion, said Maureen McGee-Ballinger, chief of interpretation and education at the memorial.

Long tied to Mount Rushmore trips, the famous roadside stop Wall Drug Store is seeing sales growth of more than 7 percent over the same time last year, store Chairman Rick Hustead said.