Bison indoor practice facility

[Bisonfan1234]

I think most would agree that NDSU is in a cold weather climate. Most other D1 cold weather schools have some sort of indoor practice facility (some just a bubble...some a building). Do the Bison have plans for a facility like this? I thought i heard at one time there were plans to turn Dacotah Field into a building that would have a full indoor field, a track around it, a new weight room, new training rooms, new locker rooms, and new offices. Then after that was complete i've heard that the BSA would be converted into a basketball-only type complex (so basically this means more stands???).

Any coments?

[Hammerhead]

I'd rather see them practice outside so they don't forget what it is like to handle the football in cold weather.

Do they even use Dacotah field for high school games anymore? I seem to recall hearing that South high (my old school) now has its own stadium. I haven't heard anything about Shanley or North.

[Bisonguy]

North just built a new stadium within a year of South. They both still play some games at the Fargodome, though.

I've heard rumors about possibly resurfacing Dacotah Field. They would have all possible field conditions for practice: outdoor grass, outdoor turf, and indoor turf.

[bisononce]

bisonguy,
Agree we need to re-surface Dakotah Field to add outdoor turf to the mix. Also, we need to at least freshen up the existing Dakotah Field structure and fences and add a bubble. We're now big time and need facilities.
Plans are afoot for expansion of BSA, taking Dakotah Field, a very bad idea.

[BisonWarrior]

The guys still use the locker rooms under the stadium at Dakotah. Field. It is in terrible disrepair. Falling Apart. Needs to Go!

[NDSU_grad]

It seems to me that they should leave the BSA alone, throw some money into Dacotah Field, and then down the road build a new basketball only facility. Of course, that's easy for me to say when I don't have to worry about budgets or any of that crap.

[bisononce]

Bison Warrior,
Disrepair is just that, disrepair= negligence. There HAS been little or no maintenance. The point is we need facilities including an outdoor turf. To fix up Dacotah is a heck of a bargain; it is already there in a great location. It is amazing, our guys use the crowded locker rooms under the North stands!!

[Bisonfan1234]

What do you guys think about something like this?

Here is a link with a picture so you can see what i'm saying.

** ok try this link **
http://www.geocities.com/tman_ndsu08/index.htm

1- this used to be the tennis courts...but the bison don't have a tennis team (at least not anymore if they ever did have one). So these are a waste of space IMO. Now this becomes the indoor field house. Includes basketball courts, indoor running track, and locker rooms.
2- this is where the dacotah stands used to be. These are now football locker rooms, football offices, the football-only weight room, and a computer cluster/study area for athletes only
3 - this is where the old dacotah turf used to be. This is practice field 1. this can be covered if desired whether through bubble or a permanent structure. this is field turf (the stuff that plays just like grass except require zero maintenance)
4 - This is where the home stands for dacotah field used to be. This is practice field 2. this is uncovered. This is also field turf.
5 - this is the BSA. This basically stays the same. All the offices are still there for the non-football teams to use, the weight room is still there for the non-football teams to use, the study lounge stays, the pool stays. The main thing that changes is that the main gym is no longer used for practice. A permanent basketball court is put down a new permanent stands are put up all around it to increase capacity as much as possible.
6,7,8 - these are parking lots that will still be there...i just put these there so you get an idea of where this stuff is.

Basically this means the grass fields are no longer needed. Field turf plays just like grass so if we play a team that has natural grass or field turf...we can prepare on the field turf. If we play a team with normal turf or play at home...we can practice in dome. So this means that the land the grass fields are on can be turned into whatever...new dorms..parking...etc. Also, some might think that practice 1 shouldn't be covered because we already have the dome...this is true but on occasion the dome is in use for concert or whatever and is inaccessible. I think it would be better for the team to have their own covered field.

What do you guys think? This actually wouldn't be that expensive i don't think. Somewhere around $10 million I’d guess...it is a chunk ... but do-able.

[NDSU_grad]

Bison 1234,
I couldn't open your link, it said page was unavailable. It sounds pretty cool, but I don't think it would be feasible to practive in the Fargodome. I took flag football as a phy-ed and Chris Jones (former Bison linebacker and pretty nice guy) was in the class. He said it cost NDSU something like $8,000 to practice in the dome, and that was in 1994. Probably more than that now.

[Bisonfan1234]

that is quite alot of money...

all the more reason for the bison to have their own covered field.