Each president is privately funded and then gifted to the city. The process of creating a statue doesn’t start until after the president has left office, and once the artist is selected, the research starts. “Each artist learns about the president and how they can best create a statue that highlights their passions, hobbies, and presidency,” described Benne. “Once the concept is approved, it can take up to nine months for the statue to be created.” In example, former President Donald Trump is complete, but will not be placed until he is no longer politically active. President Joe Biden will also be placed when he is no longer in office and/or politically active as well. The tour aims to make even more updates, as Visit Rapid City is working on recreating the voices of presidents using an A.I. voice cloning technology. But as it currently stands, Benne says the City of Presidents is a great way to bookend a trip to the Black Hills. She stated, “It’s the perfect complement to a trip to Mount Rushmore [ National Memorial ], expanding on the founding four by diving into the history of the rest of our nation’s leaders.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT CITYOFPRESIDENTS. COM AND VISITRAPIDCITY.COM+
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