I Received an EYE Opener Tonight!

[TheDoctor]

Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, and I were eating at Little Ceasers so I registered us each for a pair of UND hockey tickets give away. I am not really a fan of hockey and I OBVIOUSLY hate UND, but #1 I have never seen the Ralph and #2 my confused sister is a freshman up there and I thought it may be fun to go visit her. Well, needless to say, Wednesday I got a call saying we had won a pair of tickets to the game Saturday night. They'd be at Will Call. So my wife and took the kids and went. My family, including myself, was in utter shock. We need OUR OWN venues so we can deck the place to the ceiling in green and gold and their new Wellness Center they unveiled this fall is UNREAL. They are just finishing a three level PARKING RAMP on campus. I cannot describe to you as someone who is VERY active on NDSU's campus and constantly making mental notes about what we could change how FAR BEYOND us they are. If we think we are going to take over the state we need to start with Fargo let alone Grand Forks. I could go on and on but my point is NOT to antagonize anyone. In fact, maybe you think I am an idiot for having been blind to all of this until now. But as VERY HARD as this is for me to say, I was VERY impressed and I am not impressed easily. I will say this though, they honestly seem to be plugging this "Force of the North" campaign and they are trying to sell as much t-shirts with Fighting Sioux on them as they can now so people will wear them when they can't sell them anymore. We have A LOT of work to do people to be #1 in this state let alone the country. :'(

[NDSUFREAK10]

I sadly agree with you. This year I have been BISON stuff up the ying yang. Jersey for football and basketball, 3 different BISON t-shirts, yellow sweatshirt, and a green wind jacket. Renewing our football season tickets, and getting season tickets next year for basketball. I look to go to a couple Baseball and Softball games this spring and too, yes, buy more NDSU apparel. I say we here at the BISON boards start to get the word out EVEN MORE! Continue to e-mail and write letters to FSN, commisioner, and mayor. Thank the faculty at NDSU Athletics and never give a limit to BISON pride (CaBison). Sooner or late, NDSU will be called the premier DI college in the Dakotas by everyone. I can see it now. Never say it is enough.

[TheDoctor]

I hear you and I will man. *They've got their own television network for their ALL broadcasted hockey games. *They charge $25 for an adult ticket and $12 for a youth and pretty much sell all 11,000 seats for all 20 games. *They sell A TON of beer and then certain bars like BW3's has suits that you can stay and drink in AFTER the game is over. *They don't even open until 9 and are open until 12 I think. *They are maximizing EVERY MARKETING tool. *I know they got Ralphs money and that helped, but they are capitolizing on EVERYTHING up there. *Ok thats it, I will not speak about it again. *In fact, I will do as you say and start fighting harder. *Maybe someone at the BSA should sit down at the BSA with Lakes and listen to his ideas. *Although he is a big eratic at times, A LOT of what he says is doable and NECESSARY. *I am a believer it can be done from seeing it tonight and I believe WE can take it a step further, BECAUSE we have two sports Football and Basketball. *They are one dimensional. *They care about hockey and ONLY hockey.

[sambini]

Thanks for the report. The Ralph runs that athletic department.

[TheBisonator]

Settle down, take a deep breath, and listen to me:

1) Insiders at WDAY are currently lobbying for a Bison sports TV contract with WDAY and Cable One, according to the Bison Media Blog.

2) There's preliminary plans right now of building a parking ramp at the site of the visitors parking lot north of the engineering buildings.

3) Our new wellness center addition (to be completed sometime this year) will look as good, if not better than UND's wellness center.

4) Once the new basketball arena attached to the Fargodome is completed, it will be bigger and better than the Ralph/Betty complex. 19,000-seat football stadium with attached 8,000-seat arena compared to 11,000 and 3,500-seat arenas respectively.

5) Our downtown campus will soon be growing threefold.

There are more overall projects going on at NDSU than at UND. Just you wait, things are really starting to pick up. This campus already looks different than when I arrived here in 2003. And that's just 3 1/2 years time. This place will look even more different in a couple years. Trust me. When the new attached Fargodome arena is completed, and the complex is renamed, people will start looking at the Ralph as yesterday's news.

And besides - The Fargo Scheels Superstore is the current shrine to NDSU athletics. And more tourists visit that place. And it's newer than the Ralph. :D

[Bison_Dan]

I wonder what we could do if someone dropped 110 million in our laps?

[TheDoctor]

I wonder what we could do if someone dropped 110 million in our laps? *


I realize this and I understand. They didn't just spend the money though, they have WISELY invested it.

[bisonranch]

I wonder what we could do if someone dropped 110 million in our laps? *


I realize this and I understand. *They didn't just spend the money though, they have WISELY invested it.

They've done well, but they also have a national PR nightmare to go with it.

[TheDoctor]

I wonder what we could do if someone dropped 110 million in our laps? *


I realize this and I understand. *They didn't just spend the money though, they have WISELY invested it.

They've done well, but they also have a national PR nightmare to go with it.


Explain :-? I am uneducated to this I guess. :-/

[TheDoctor]

4) Once the new basketball arena attached to the Fargodome is completed, it will be bigger and better than the Ralph/Betty complex. 19,000-seat football stadium with attached 8,000-seat arena compared to 11,000 and 3,500-seat arenas respectively.



I guess until this weekend, I didn't realize how much you can do to personalize a place, WHEN it's ALL yours. Our Dome and Dome + will be larger, but NOT more personable. Similar to the issue The U of M had with playing in the Metrodome. I know our football offices are over there now. Anyway, I will quit talking in envy and fight the good fight harder. I just had no clue how nice it was. AND, as my wife pointed out, 80% of the people were drinking beers. We NEED to add beer sales to our revenue. Working for the FM Jets, it appears that half our profits come from beer sales.

[lakesbison]

1 more time I have to say this.


RECENT POSTS SUNDAY MORNING

8 outta 10 posts regards UND.. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM PEOPLE?!?


ITS A GOD DAM NDSU SITE!!!


I DONT WANNA READ THIS CRAP>>... and YOU KNOW WHAT!??!?!

YOU ALL KEEP POSTING TO THIS, STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!!1


I am a NDSU FAN, and I WANNA READ ABOUT NDSU STUFF!!


NOT THEM!!


MY GOD< YOU GUYS PISS ME OFF!!!

WHERE"S YOUR LOYALTY?!?!?!?!?!??????????????????????????

[TheDoctor]

1 more time I have to say this.


RECENT POSTS SUNDAY MORNING

8 outta 10 posts regards UND.. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM PEOPLE?!?


ITS A GOD DAM NDSU SITE!!!


I DONT WANNA READ THIS CRAP>>... and YOU KNOW WHAT!??!?!

YOU ALL KEEP POSTING TO THIS, STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!!1


I am a NDSU FAN, and I WANNA READ ABOUT NDSU STUFF!!


NOT THEM!! *


MY GOD< YOU GUYS PISS ME OFF!!!

WHERE"S YOUR LOYALTY?!?!?!?!?!??????????????????????????


First of all Lakes in my 1,200 other posts I don't think I have EVER mentioned UND so know it pains me to even discuss it. BUT, the truth is the truth. What is loyalty to you? Turning a blind eye to reality. To be the best you need to be realistic about where you are, where others are, and where you need to go. I HATE UND! BUT, I don't feel I am being disloyal to my University just because I had my eyes opened to the fact that UND is ALREADY capitolizing on every idea we dream up on here. You can focus on becoming Boise State and winning the WAC and ignore whats going on in our own backyards. I NOW think we need to take over the damn state, before we can ever take over the USA. In my original post, I thought someone from the office should sit down and listen to your ideas, but maybe your blinders are getting in the way. When Steve Jobs originally had the computer world ripped out from under his feet by Bill Gates, it was because he was so damn full of himself that he didn't even see it coming. After a HUGE piece of humble pie digested in his belly he introduced a gadget called the IPod and the rest is history. Lets not take a tumble to aknowledge reality. They are doing everything right except one thing, their sports season runs 3 months, because they are one dimensional. We are 2 dimensional so lets take over this state.

[99Bison]

Need to make Fargo exclusive as possible First... Yes, really marketing and winning it is.

[lakesbison]

Im not singling you out.

Im just sick of coming to this site, clickin on recent posts on my cell phone when im out

and seeing it every single freakin day.


Now, they do NOTHING for us, they provide NOTHING for NDSU in the future.

We need to SEIZE this moment in time as the Minnesota fball game and Marquette/Wisc games suggest to us, NDSU can be a player.

but if people are gonna sit and bicker about a university WE HAVENT PLAYED IN 4 FREAKIN YEARS!!!!

then your the one with an inferiority complex.....

PUSH NDSU... period!

[2006gwfcchamps]

The Ralph is the Ralph. It's nice. It's a Taj Mahal for UND hockey. Good for them.



But really, the only significant thing that UND has on NDSU is the FSSN.


That is something that, and I hate to say it, is a major selling point for UND over NDSU to DI conferences.

[TheDoctor]

Im not singling you out.

Im just sick of coming to this site, clickin on recent posts on my cell phone when im out

and seeing it every single freakin day.


Now, they do NOTHING for us, they provide NOTHING for NDSU in the future.

We need to SEIZE this moment in time as the Minnesota fball game and Marquette/Wisc games suggest to us, NDSU can be a player.

but if people are gonna sit and bicker about a university WE HAVENT PLAYED IN 4 FREAKIN YEARS!!!!

then your the one with an inferiority complex..... *

PUSH NDSU... * * period!


I have no desire to play UND, to care about the games they play or anything else. Aknowledging that they have a GREAT thing going with their marketing of hockey is not having an "inferiority complex". It is being realistic. They scan tickets with a hand scanner at their games, hell you can even scan a card through a pop machine and buy a pop without a dime in your pocket. At the BSA we still have retired Kiwanis members ripping tickets and "looking" at student ID cards. Do you realize "students" who graduated last year are still going to basketball games for free by showing their student id from last year to a kiwanis member. We have A LOT of work to do is my only point. If I had witnessed this $hit at Mayville State I'd be saying the same thing. I don't care if weve played them in 4 or 40 years for that matter. What I am talking about has NOTHING to do with playing them or helping them, it has to do with aknowledging that the marketing we are dreaming about doing here at NDSU is being done already in this state, by a school that may no loger be our rival on the field, but will ALWAYS be our rival in competing for peoples dollars. We are at least agreeing on one thing here. WE NEED TO PUSH ENVELOPE! We need to STEP IT UP BIG TIME. We are D1 and we need to start acting like it, starting with the new basketball arena! I am never more convinced that a face lift to the BSA for basketball would still look D2. BSA = top notch practice facility Dome addition = Home of Bison basketball. LETS DO THIS!

[TheDoctor]

The Ralph is the Ralph. It's nice. It's a Taj Mahal for UND hockey. Good for them.



But really, the only significant thing that UND has on NDSU is the FSSN.


That is something that, and I hate to say it, is a major selling point for UND over NDSU to DI conferences.


BEER SALES ALSO. *They have a bar in the Ralph that opens AFTER the game ends and people can drink there until midnight. *Not to mention how much they drank during the game! ;D

[THEsocalledfan]

Settle down, take a deep breath, and listen to me:
1) Insiders at WDAY are currently lobbying for a Bison sports TV contract with WDAY and Cable One, according to the Bison Media Blog.


Great, more ND coverage and NO coverage for everyone in Minnesota. Does NDSU not care about us? I am sick and tired of this small market sh%t. FSN is where we need to be, not WDAY. How am I supposed to watch WDAY in Duluth? How about all the alumni in Minneapolis? Someone, please get the media monkeys in Fargo understand that they will be small time until they are on TV in Minnestoa.

[SDbison]

Settle down, take a deep breath, and listen to me:
1) Insiders at WDAY are currently lobbying for a Bison sports TV contract with WDAY and Cable One, according to the Bison Media Blog.

*
Great, more ND coverage and NO coverage for everyone in Minnesota. *Does NDSU not care about us? *I am sick and tired of this small market sh%t. *FSN is where we need to be, not WDAY. *How am I supposed to watch WDAY in Duluth? *How about all the alumni in Minneapolis? *Someone, please get the media monkeys in Fargo understand that they will be small time until they are on TV in Minnestoa.
Exactly! *Coverage for ND? *Too many on this board think small. *For NDSU to grow and continue to be successful THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE REGIONAL TV COVERAGE! * Hate to say it, but UND has blown NDSU away with all the games they get on TV. *Kids in Minneapolis see them much more often than us. *I think their rise in DII football was as much due to the TV coverage as it was the coaching. *GENE TAYLOR NEEDS TO GET SOMETHING DONE WITH THE MEDIA COVERAGE. *IT SUCKS! *

[NDSUstudent]

*We are D1 and we need to start acting like it, starting with the new basketball arena! I am never more convinced that a face lift to the BSA for basketball would still look D2. *BSA = top notch practice facility * Dome addition = Home of Bison basketball. *LETS DO THIS! * *

Couldn't agree more about the BSA, NDSU needs to everything in its power to make the dome addition happen. Basketball is way to big of sport to play in a place like the BSA, it has so much potential but I think a lot of that potential is being held down by the BSA. This state loves basketball and if NDSU could put it in a venue like what UND has for hockey it would bring in a ton of money and expand our fanbase even more.

As for UND they are doing some impressive things up there but we are also doing a lot of impressive things down here as well. I am remember a certain Gateway AD saying NDSUs facilties for football where Big 12 caliber.

Here is a quote from a recruit....
“I just visited North Dakota and North Dakota State this weekend,” Lunder said. “North Dakota was pretty cool, but I'd much rather go to North Dakota State. They're really good. I watched the North Dakota State/South Dakota State game for an unofficial visit. They could very easily play in the Mid-American Conference. They should be D1. North Dakota State would be pretty cool to go to. The Fargo Dome is awesome. Pat Perles, the offensive coordinator, is going to come visit me in a few weeks here." -DL Matt Lunder 6'1 229lbs. Waunakee, WI

[56BISON73]

Settle down, take a deep breath, and listen to me:

1) Insiders at WDAY are currently lobbying for a Bison sports TV contract with WDAY and Cable One, according to the Bison Media Blog.

2) There's preliminary plans right now of building a parking ramp at the site of the visitors parking lot north of the engineering buildings.

3) Our new wellness center addition (to be completed sometime this year) will look as good, if not better than UND's wellness center.

4) Once the new basketball arena attached to the Fargodome is completed, it will be bigger and better than the Ralph/Betty complex. 19,000-seat football stadium with attached 8,000-seat arena compared to 11,000 and 3,500-seat arenas respectively.

5) Our downtown campus will soon be growing threefold.

There are more overall projects going on at NDSU than at UND. Just you wait, things are really starting to pick up. This campus already looks different than when I arrived here in 2003. And that's just 3 1/2 years time. This place will look even more different in a couple years. Trust me. When the new attached Fargodome arena is completed, and the complex is renamed, people will start looking at the Ralph as yesterday's news.

And besides - The Fargo Scheels Superstore is the current shrine to NDSU athletics. And more tourists visit that place. And it's newer than the Ralph. :D

Tell me about the down town campus. PL

[Hammersmith]

Tell me about the down town campus. PL
I'm going into teacher mode, so forgive the longwindedness.

Part 1:
In some ways, the downtown campus goes back to the 80's(?) when NDSU alumnus Doug Bergum helped found Great Plains Software. In the late 90's, Great Plains was bought out by Microsoft and Burgum found himself a very wealthy man. (I might be wrong about this, but I think I heard once that, with his MS stock options, he's worth over $1B. If I am wrong, then he's only worth a few hundred million.) The Burgum family is pretty well-known for giving of their time and money to NDSU, and, as it turns out, Doug is no exception.

About this time, Northern School Supply had either gone out of business or had been bought out, and the old downtown building was no longer wanted. The owners had tried to sell it, but after a few years of it setting vacant, they decided to have it torn down. I don't know who originally came up with the idea, but Burgum ended up buying the building, gifted it to NDSU, and paid for a full renovation. The complete visual arts department was moved down from those horrible quonset huts on 12th Ave, as well as some of the studio space for the architecture students. This became known as NDSU Downtown.

Part 2:
For at least the past 20 years, NDSU has been trying to improve its business programs. One major stumbling block: the lack of a building to call their own. Classrooms, faculty offices and college administration have been scattered all over campus. A few years ago, approval was given to begin raising private funds for a $13M building. To date: about $11M has been raised, but inflation has driven up the building's costs to an estimated $15M.

During this same period, Noridian Mutual Insurance had been swallowing up several of its smaller competitors including Pioneer Mutual Life and Lincoln Mutual. Since all three have Fargo offices, Noridian was left with two buildings it did not need. Like the owners of the Northern School Supply building had found out a few years before, Noridian discovered that it is fairly difficult to find a buyer for a large, old building downtown. Somehow NDSU and Noridian got together, and NDSU realized that buying the two buildings, renovating both, and adding onto the Pioneer Mutual Life building would cost between $11M-$13M and net NDSU about 10-20% more space than the original College of Business building design. NDSU agreed to the sale and the downtown campus expaned to three buildings.

After the renovation/expansion that should begin this spring is complete, the Pioneer Mutual building will house the entire College of Business as well as the agribusiness program and the Lincoln Mutual building will house the rest of the architecture department and the landscape architecture program. The Pioneer Mutual Life building is on 10th Street and 2nd Ave(halfway between Taco Bell and Taco John's and it used to have a huge red neon sign on top) and the Lincoln Mutual building is about one block due east. All three buildings of the downtown campus will be in about a 3 block(E/W) by 2 block(N/S) area.

[Hammersmith]

My first time trying this, so...

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o117/Hammersmith52/NDSUDowntown.jpg

[2006gwfcchamps]

Very nice Hammersmith! Thanks for taking the time to do that.

I thought I'd add another pic.

NDSU Downtown in relation to NDSU:

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/8796/ndsudtdr9.jpg

[IowaBison]

Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, ..........'(

Glad you're enamored with UND.

1. The Ralph experienced a net operating loss of nearly $6 million dollars in 2005.

2. That parking ramp is costing $19 million to build.

-Who the hell has been 'dreaming' about building a $19 million parking ramp.

3. The institution receives significantly more money per student per year than we do.


The institution (including their athletic department) is very big on show, but not so hot on go or financials.

[TheDoctor]

Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, ..........'(

2. That parking ramp is costing $19 million to build. *

-Who the hell has been 'dreaming' about building a $19 million parking ramp.



EVERY student and faculty memeber I know cites the lack of parking as or #1 problem that effects almost everyone on campus right now. So, I dream about a parking ramp. Trust me, NDSU has a couple million in bogus parking ticket money from all the people that have gotten tickets because there is NO WHERE to park. Faculty should have their own lots, because students will park there car in a spot and often leave it for up to a week.

[2006gwfcchamps]

I'm pretty sure a ramp is going to be built at the pay lot eventually.

It's needed badly from what I've heard.

[TheDoctor]

Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, ..........'(

1. *The Ralph experienced a net operating loss of nearly $6 million dollars in 2005.



My father was explaining this to me last night. Ralph set up the lease so that UND didn't take posession of it until they were making a profit. Well he knew they would never make a profit so it ends up being a glitzy shiny pretty building that is to expensive to operate and ISN'T a financial strain on the University. So, the University sees VERY liitle profits from anything hockey related.

[IowaBison]

I'm pretty sure a ramp is going to be built at the pay lot eventually.

It's needed badly from what I've heard.


Don't know about this parking ramp.

NDSU has enough spots. They might not be exactly where wanted, but where are they?

[2006gwfcchamps]

Does it really cost that much money to operate a building?

Jeez. I would think that the hockey games alone would be enough revenue to generate profit.

[IowaBison]

Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, ..........'(

1. The Ralph experienced a net operating loss of nearly $6 million dollars in 2005.



My father was explaining this to me last night. Ralph set up the lease so that UND didn't take posession of it until they were making a profit. Well he knew they would never make a profit so it ends up being a glitzy shiny pretty building that is to expensive to operate and ISN'T a financial strain on the University. So, the University sees VERY liitle profits from anything hockey related.

It wasn't Ralph, it was the State. The State will not take possession until the facility is in the black, (I don't think it ever will).

The place was built as a palace when Ralph decided he didn't like how he was being treated. He pulled $50 million in funding for the academic mission and doubled the budget on the REA.

[IowaBison]

Does it really cost that much money to operate a building?

Jeez. I would think that the hockey games alone would be enough revenue to generate profit.


but alas they have not.

[TheDoctor]

Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, ..........'(
Glad you're enamored with UND.



I am far from enamored with UND, but being the Jack A$$ >:( you are notorious for chosing to be everytime I try and bring up a point that you don't agree with, I can see how you read what I originally posted as being enamored. ;D

[TheDoctor]

I'm pretty sure a ramp is going to be built at the pay lot eventually.

It's needed badly from what I've heard.


Don't know about this parking ramp.

NDSU has enough spots. *They might not be exactly where wanted, but where are they? *


NDSU has enough spots huh? Really! Take a drive around campus tomorrow and notice how many vacant parking spots are around. Good luck finding one. I can't believe I even resond to this short sighted crap.

[IowaBison]

I'm pretty sure a ramp is going to be built at the pay lot eventually.

It's needed badly from what I've heard.


Don't know about this parking ramp.

NDSU has enough spots. They might not be exactly where wanted, but where are they?


maybe you should take trips to a few more campuses around the country.....

[IowaBison]

Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, ..........'(
Glad you're enamored with UND.



I am far from enamored with UND, but being the Jack A$$ >:( you are notorious for chosing to be everytime I try and bring up a point that you don't agree with, I can see how you read what I originally posted as being enamored. ;D

Call me what you want.

I state my opinion and stand by it. Apparently your opinion of UND changed in the last week. Is the REA, parking ramp or wellness center project new?


I cannot describe to you as someone who is VERY active on NDSU's campus and constantly making mental notes about what we could change how FAR BEYOND us they are.

How long are you going to stand behind that comment. Maybe you should take a wake around our campus, you might have another epiphany.

[Hammersmith]

For most of campus, the parking situation is acceptable. There are, however, a few areas where things have gotten bad and will only get worse. B1SON is stuck in the middle of it. The area around the engineering complex, Stockbridge, BBFH, Churchill and Bison Court has way too many people and too few spots. The best thing would be to find some way of removing student parking from that area. It's the faculty and staff who truly need it. They have to find a parking spot every day, the on-campus students do not. Turning the football practice field into a parking lot and moving the students there would free up a lot of space for employee parking. I hope that's one of the things they're looking at.

A parking ramp would be nice, but we're not yet at the point where it's worth the huge expense IMO. 3000 students and 500 employees later? Perhaps.

[TheDoctor]

[quote author=NorthDakotaBison link=1168750326/15#24 date=1168881904][quote author=B1SON link=1168750326/0#0 date=1168750326]Ok, so last weekend my wife, kids, ..........'(

How long are you going to stand behind that comment. *Maybe you should take a wake around our campus, you might have another epiphany. *


Hope not long! *The Wellness Center is looking pretty good. *Supposidly a parking ramp is in the cards. *When the addition to the Union is finished that will be great. *The difference TODAY is that UND's stuff is done. *To walk around our campus TODAY and theirs TODAY and not admit they are FAR BEYOND us at this point would not be an opinion, it would be short sighted tunnel vision. *

[TheDoctor]

For most of campus, the parking situation is acceptable. There are, however, a few areas where things have gotten bad and will only get worse. B1SON is stuck in the middle of it. The area around the engineering complex, Stockbridge, BBFH, Churchill and Bison Court has way too many people and too few spots. The best thing would be to find some way of removing student parking from that area. It's the faculty and staff who truly need it. They have to find a parking spot every day, the on-campus students do not. Turning the football practice field into a parking lot and moving the students there would free up a lot of space for employee parking. I hope that's one of the things they're looking at.

A parking ramp would be nice, but we're not yet at the point where it's worth the huge expense. 3000 students and 500 employees later? Perhaps.


Hammersmith- Student parking on the turf is a GREAT idea! I never thought of it. I always thought of it as expansion for the BSA. I wish they would do something productive with it, it is such an eye sore and a waist of space right now.

[TheDoctor]

For most of campus, the parking situation is acceptable. There are, however, a few areas where things have gotten bad and will only get worse. B1SON is stuck in the middle of it. The area around the engineering complex, Stockbridge, BBFH, Churchill and Bison Court has way too many people and too few spots. The best thing would be to find some way of removing student parking from that area. It's the faculty and staff who truly need it. They have to find a parking spot every day, the on-campus students do not. Turning the football practice field into a parking lot and moving the students there would free up a lot of space for employee parking. I hope that's one of the things they're looking at.

A parking ramp would be nice, but we're not yet at the point where it's worth the huge expense. 3000 students and 500 employees later? Perhaps.


Hammersmith- Student parking on the turf is a GREAT idea! *I never thought of it. *I always thought of it as expansion for the BSA. *I wish they would do something productive with it, it is such an eye sore and a waist of space right now.


Or did you mean the practice field they currently use on University? I would guess, then they wouldn't have to walk so far. I guess walking to "campus" from the turf is a bit of a trip. :)

[Hammersmith]

For most of campus, the parking situation is acceptable. There are, however, a few areas where things have gotten bad and will only get worse. B1SON is stuck in the middle of it. The area around the engineering complex, Stockbridge, BBFH, Churchill and Bison Court has way too many people and too few spots. The best thing would be to find some way of removing student parking from that area. It's the faculty and staff who truly need it. They have to find a parking spot every day, the on-campus students do not. Turning the football practice field into a parking lot and moving the students there would free up a lot of space for employee parking. I hope that's one of the things they're looking at.

A parking ramp would be nice, but we're not yet at the point where it's worth the huge expense. 3000 students and 500 employees later? Perhaps.


Hammersmith- Student parking on the turf is a GREAT idea! *I never thought of it. *I always thought of it as expansion for the BSA. *I wish they would do something productive with it, it is such an eye sore and a waist of space right now.
Sorry, I meant the grass area directly north of Bison Court. Dacotah would then be coverted to a grass or (new)turf practice area. A parking lot across the street from BC could take over for SF lot so both CF and SF could be used for faculty/staff parking. It's not a perfect solution, but it's relatively cheap.

[2006gwfcchamps]

Why are people so dead set against the ramp?


I'm starting to think it's about something more than just parking. As if building a ramp represents some sort of shift in the philosophy of the school or something.

[Herd_Mentality]

As soon as I win the lottery, I'm razing the Turf and donating a parking ramp to the university.

You heard it here first.

[TheDoctor]

As soon as I win the lottery, I'm razing the Turf and donating a parking ramp to the university.

You heard it here first.


;D ;D ;D Can I get that in writing? ;D ;D ;D

[2006gwfcchamps]

As soon as I win the lottery, I'm razing the Turf and donating a parking ramp to the university.

You heard it here first.

You better install a bridge or there's going to be a lot of smooshed students on University.

[56BISON73]

Tell me about the down town campus. PL
I'm going into teacher mode, so forgive the longwindedness.

Part 1:
In some ways, the downtown campus goes back to the 80's(?) when NDSU alumnus Doug Bergum helped found Great Plains Software. In the late 90's, Great Plains was bought out by Microsoft and Burgum found himself a very wealthy man. (I might be wrong about this, but I think I heard once that, with his MS stock options, he's worth over $1B. If I am wrong, then he's only worth a few hundred million.) The Burgum family is pretty well-known for giving of their time and money to NDSU, and, as it turns out, Doug is no exception.

About this time, Northern School Supply had either gone out of business or had been bought out, and the old downtown building was no longer wanted. The owners had tried to sell it, but after a few years of it setting vacant, they decided to have it torn down. I don't know who originally came up with the idea, but Burgum ended up buying the building, gifted it to NDSU, and paid for a full renovation. The complete visual arts department was moved down from those horrible quonset huts on 12th Ave, as well as some of the studio space for the architecture students. This became known as NDSU Downtown.

Part 2:
For at least the past 20 years, NDSU has been trying to improve its business programs. One major stumbling block: the lack of a building to call their own. Classrooms, faculty offices and college administration have been scattered all over campus. A few years ago, approval was given to begin raising private funds for a $13M building. To date: about $11M has been raised, but inflation has driven up the building's costs to an estimated $15M.

During this same period, Noridian Mutual Insurance had been swallowing up several of its smaller competitors including Pioneer Mutual Life and Lincoln Mutual. Since all three have Fargo offices, Noridian was left with two buildings it did not need. Like the owners of the Northern School Supply building had found out a few years before, Noridian discovered that it is fairly difficult to find a buyer for a large, old building downtown. Somehow NDSU and Noridian got together, and NDSU realized that buying the two buildings, renovating both, and adding onto the Pioneer Mutual Life building would cost between $11M-$13M and net NDSU about 10-20% more space than the original College of Business building design. NDSU agreed to the sale and the downtown campus expaned to three buildings.

After the renovation/expansion that should begin this spring is complete, the Pioneer Mutual building will house the entire College of Business as well as the agribusiness program and the Lincoln Mutual building will house the rest of the architecture department and the landscape architecture program. The Pioneer Mutual Life building is on 10th Street and 2nd Ave(halfway between Taco Bell and Taco John's and it used to have a huge red neon sign on top) and the Lincoln Mutual building is about one block due east. All three buildings of the downtown campus will be in about a 3 block(E/W) by 2 block(N/S) area.

Thanks. Very informative. PL

[IowaBison]

Why are people so dead set against the ramp?


I'm starting to think it's about something more than just parking. As if building a ramp represents some sort of shift in the philosophy of the school or something.


because the math doesn't always add up. in the case of NDSU or similiar institution's (like UND) it really doesn't.

we've had this conversation on here in the past year.

[2006gwfcchamps]

because the math doesn't always add up.



That's your only reason? Come on.

Why do you really not want it?

[IowaBison]

?

don't let economics get into the way of making a great decision. ;D ;D ;D

[THEsocalledfan]

Settle down, take a deep breath, and listen to me:
1) Insiders at WDAY are currently lobbying for a Bison sports TV contract with WDAY and Cable One, according to the Bison Media Blog.

*
Great, more ND coverage and NO coverage for everyone in Minnesota. *Does NDSU not care about us? *I am sick and tired of this small market sh%t. *FSN is where we need to be, not WDAY. *How am I supposed to watch WDAY in Duluth? *How about all the alumni in Minneapolis? *Someone, please get the media monkeys in Fargo understand that they will be small time until they are on TV in Minnestoa.

The Bisonator, I would appreciate a response as you seem tied in to NDSU and Fargo. Can you help get those folks realize NDSU will be small time until they get regional TV coverage? ND only coverage sucks!

[Junior]

As soon as I win the lottery, I'm razing the Turf and donating a parking ramp to the university.

You heard it here first.

I say put the Turf on top of the ramp and add a thrill ride like the Stratosphere Ride out in Vegas. *That would be awesome! *Hell, why not put a Chubs II up there too! * *The possibilities are endless. * *

Oh, don't for get your personal parking spot... ;D ;D

[insane_ponderer]

I think the turf should have been moved and connected onto the union in the latest renovation. A bar attached to the union like Wisconsin. Gotta think big. :)

[Junior]

I think the turf should have been moved and connected onto the union in the latest renovation. *A bar attached to the union like Wisconsin. *Gotta think big. *:)

Anything is possible if H.M. donates enough money. *

I would like to be a philanthropist some day but I don't have enough money yet. *So, I am starting small, bartenders and waitresses... ;D

[2006gwfcchamps]

?

don't let economics get into the way of making a great decision. ;D ;D ;D

Oh, so you do want the ramp, you just think it's too expensive?

But you do want it.

[IowaBison]

?

no, i think that it spending tens of millions of dollars on a parking ramp that adds a few hundred extra spots is a poor use of limited resources.

[kchats]

I keep forgetting that NDSU just has money rolling in for everything. New basketball arena for $30 million (no problem), Parking ramp (for $ millions) (no problem), let's just build all of it and worry about the money later.

[TheDoctor]

I keep forgetting that NDSU just has money rolling in for everything. *New basketball arena for $30 million (no problem), Parking ramp (for $ millions) (no problem), let's just build all of it and worry about the money later.


Ahmen!!!!!!!!!! ;)

[bisonranch]

I used to think we needed a parking ramp too, until I had a class with a paralyzed student confined to a wheel chair. He said he'd have to problem walking from 10 blocks away if he could give up the wheel chair, just be thankful you can walk.

Sorry for the downer in the discussion. True story though.

[2006gwfcchamps]

i think that it spending tens of millions of dollars on a parking ramp that adds a few hundred extra spots is a poor use of limited resources.

So you want more spots. How about a 2000 spot ramp?


And as I said, it's just about money. If we had the money for it, you'd be fine with it.

[TriCollegeBison]

There's only X amount of land left on campus. I say build up.

[pmp6nl]

There's only X amount of land left on campus. I say build up.

Well we wont have as many problems when we can raze parking lots because we all use flying cars ;D ;)

[TriCollegeBison]

There's only X amount of land left on campus. *I say build up. *

Well we wont have as many problems when we can raze parking lots because we all use flying cars *;D *;)

I take back my comment on building up then. *After a few drinks at the Turf, it probably won't be good to have giant buildings sticking out of the ground if we're using flying cars around campus.

[TheBisonator]

I've been talking to a few people on campus, and they say a parking ramp will be happening SOON.

[2006gwfcchamps]

Any idea where? Pay lot?

[TheBisonator]

Any idea where? Pay lot?



The only place I heard it would be is the visitors lot. All I'm hearing is "soon". How "soon", I have no idea.