Nobody believes you
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http://kfgo.com/podcasts/it-takes-2/...the-fargodome/
Executive Director of the Fargodome authority on KFGO talking about what upgrades they are hoping to get done.
Listen for yourselves but if I remember correctly he said a few of the following:
Remove the endzone press boxes, replace with regular stadium seats.
West side update- Larger renovated concourse, comes with bathrooms etc for Press.
South Side- larger renovated concourse, with new and/or expanded locker rooms
East side- try and get some club seats "with a view of the field"
North side: "hopefully renovate the concourse their too"
Larger convention space on south side- sounds like the "grand hall would be 30-50k sq ft
(this part I couldn't decipher) he said "an additional 80-100k sq ft meeting space. I'm not sure if this is in addition to the 30-50k exhibition space, or if that is all the support space need to have the exhibition space in the first place.
He also said this space would CONNECT the BSA to the Fargodome "three connected, climate controlled facilities". He never mentioned a skyway- which leads me to believe that they literally might all be one massive AF building.
He said the full convention space would be financed through motel/hotel and maybe even a restaurant tax if I remember correctly. The larger exhibition hall seemed to be a fargodome expense from what I could tell
Seems like connecting the three without a skyway or tunnel would result in WAY more than 150,000 sq. ft.
Agreed... that building would be absolutely immense. I cant imagine they wouldn't have a skyway from BSA to convention space. but to play devils advocate, the 150,000sqft could actually be the physical convention space square footage, which would mean the building would be much larger.
I think connecting the dome, new addition, and the SHAC would be so awesome. The whole building / complex would be massive and gives the dome the right kind of space they need to generate revenue. Using the SHAC could be a revenue driver for NDSU and a huge benefit to the dome. We wouldn't have to build as much space and it would give conventions and shows some great flexibility. A side benefit is it would be great for students / players / recruits / coaches when you don't have to walk across the street in 50 below zero weather to the SHAC. Also it could improve student attendance because they could probably wait in line indoors in the dead of the winter. Even for the USA wrestling, it's cool to connect the 2 buildings. I'm curious if they could incorporate a street under the connection to the shac or just have a short skyway.
I love the idea of widening the concourses and adding bathrooms because when the dome is full, it's a major obnoxious issue. Also when it's 50 below zero, having double doors would greatly improve the visitor experience.
If they do something on the west side, they really really need to make sure they can build it so they can add skyboxes in the future so they don't end up with a situation where additions aren't load bearing, like on the east.
I like the funding idea because I would hate to completely eliminate the surplus fund. I like the lodging/hotel tax but I'm kind of meh on a bar and restaurant tax since that hits everyone, but I'm not completely opposed to it either.
What about the whole debate regarding building a convention center downtown? Has that been settled or is this a decision the FargoDome is making separate from that previous debate somehow?
It was a stupid idea. Just upgrade the dome and inexpensively refurbish the Civic Center, which is a solid venue, into a dual use venue for arts and concerts. The convention space that used to be at Centennial Hall will work better at the dome. There is a reason they tore it down because it lost money and wasnt used. Any commissioner who wants to take the Fargodome surplus money and waste in on another downtown facility is out of their mind. The city has a bigger need to compete with the Alerus Center and the Denny Sanford Center in Sioux Falls
Downtown is doing just fine without a convention center. Most people who go to conventions or concerts at the dome will make their way downtown anyways. Downtown has a bigger need for every day type businesses so people who live there dont have to drive to Northport. The loss of Metro drug sucks for downtown people who need to buy everyday items.
I have said this before and will say it again. As somebody who is concerned more about the future of NDSU then the future of the Fargo convention business, this stinks. Why should NDSU lgive up more property and further lock ourselves into the Dome? This makes no sense!