Dome Upgrades

[tony]

As a Bison fan, I don't want it tied financially to the dome. As a Fargo tax payer, I want it tied financially to the dome or anything other than my taxes. Personally I don't feel the city of Fargo needs it and not sure a yes/no would pass a vote.

I'm not seeing why any taxpayer would allow a tax they approved for one specific project being used for another project altogether - especially when there is the clear danger that diverting money from the original project could cause serious problems. That'd be a terrible precedent.

City of Fargo: "We want a vote on a new water treatment plant."
Taxpayer: "Yeah, we need one."
<wait ten years>
City of Fargo: "Yeah, about that water treatment money... we're going to use it to build an ice rink in south Fargo."

[Grizzled]

I'm not seeing why any taxpayer would allow a tax they approved for one specific project being used for another project altogether - especially when there is the clear danger that diverting money from the original project could cause serious problems. That'd be a terrible precedent.

City of Fargo: "We want a vote on a new water treatment plant."
Taxpayer: "Yeah, we need one."
<wait ten years>
City of Fargo: "Yeah, about that water treatment money... we're going to use it to build an ice rink in south Fargo."

Because I'm tired of funding things I never use. If there is money sitting in another city owned building already funded by the people, by all means use it for another project.

Problem in your example above is to my memory the convention center has never been put to vote.

[1998braves64]

The real problem lies in the "surplus" they had, which some of this needs to be for maintenance, and I think they're accounting for some of that too. But didn't they already use some of this money for the East Lobby also?

Now going to a completely different site and location than the Fargodome and spending that money on a CC is where people are going to raise their eyebrow. Seems they already are just doing it attached to the Fargodome?

I haven't seen this rendering showing the tailgate lots being taken up by the CC? Can someone point me to it. The one I thought it was said the link was broken.

[tony]

Because I'm tired of finding shit I never use. If there is money sitting in another city owned building already funded by the people, by all means use it for another project.

Problem in your example above is to my memory the convention center has never been put to vote.

Not sure what the problem is.

City of Fargo: Do we want to build a dome in Fargo?
Taxpayers: Hell yeah! We overwhelmingly support that!
<wait 25 years>
City of Fargo: Yeah, about that money we have for upgrading, repairing, and keeping the Dome solvent? How about we use that money for a convention center?

If the city takes that money away to fund what could be a huge money-loser, then what do you propose? Letting the FargoDome rot?

If some city commissioners and local bigwigs want to loot the FargoDome to fund a convention center, then they should put that proposal on the ballot. Then you'd have a say.

Better yet, they should put a convention center measure on the ballot without any link whatsoever to the FargoDome and let it pass or fail on its own merits.

[Grizzled]

Not sure what the problem is.

City of Fargo: Do we want to build a dome in Fargo?
Taxpayers: Hell yeah! We overwhelmingly support that!
<wait 25 years>
City of Fargo: Yeah, about that money we have for upgrading, repairing, and keeping the Dome solvent? How about we use that money for a convention center?

If the city takes that money away to fund what could be a huge money-loser, then what do you propose? Letting the FargoDome rot?

If some city commissioners and local bigwigs want to loot the FargoDome to fund a convention center, then they should put that proposal on the ballot. Then you'd have a say.

Better yet, they should put a convention center measure on the ballot without any link whatsoever to the FargoDome and let it pass or fail on its own merits.

That is exactly what I'd propose. Just like they let the diversion fail on its own...oops never mind.

If they are not going to put it to a vote, tie it to another city owned property for some form of relief. As long as the team is winning, people will still fill the dome. Plus the two buildings will be competing with one another anyway.

[ThunderDan]

For the love of all common sense, please do not build a convention center at the fargodome site. I understand not wanting to use the fargodome money to build downtown - i get that.
But who in their right mind thinks that conventions are going to come to Fargo if we build at the Fargodome site? How would that conversation go? "Hey, bring your convention to Fargo, we have a great spot next to an Applebess and BWW. There is no nightlife in this spot, just those 2 restaurants and 2 bars. (labbys and herd and horns) There is no shopping whatsoever either. Nothing at all. So, you basically get to either sit in your hotel or go to BWW/Applebees to eat, and your choice of two bars for entertainment."
People choose locations for conventions for a variety of reasons, but having stuff for the attendees to do after hours(within walking distance) is one of the big ones - it doesn't have to be Vegas, but you need to bring something more to the table than what is by the dome. Not to mention we'd lose parking for Bison games and concerts. Unless they are planning to build a parking ramp along with the convention center.

[Bison"FANatic"]

For the love of all common sense, please do not build a convention center at the fargodome site. I understand not wanting to use the fargodome money to build downtown - i get that.
But who in their right mind thinks that conventions are going to come to Fargo if we build at the Fargodome site? How would that conversation go? "Hey, bring your convention to Fargo, we have a great spot next to an Applebess and BWW. There is no nightlife in this spot, just those 2 restaurants and 2 bars. (labbys and herd and horns) There is no shopping whatsoever either. Nothing at all. So, you basically get to either sit in your hotel or go to BWW/Applebees to eat, and your choice of two bars for entertainment."
People choose locations for conventions for a variety of reasons, but having stuff for the attendees to do after hours(within walking distance) is one of the big ones - it doesn't have to be Vegas, but you need to bring something more to the table than what is by the dome. Not to mention we'd lose parking for Bison games and concerts. Unless they are planning to build a parking ramp along with the convention center.

To look at it from a different perspective, I just this AM received a email on a convention and in it they were emphasizing the things to do and the hotels within a 20 minute car ride of where the convention was being held. Heck in Fargometro you can get anywhere you want in 20 minutes from the dome area. Fargo could be like everywhere else with convention rooms or try and capture a niche and use what we have a lot of and that is space. Lots and lots of space around the dome. If you can cross sell the convention center with the dome area, that is something that most places don't have access to. Fargo is never going to be a destination convention draw like a Vegas, Orlando or Chicago so having it in a area with space can add something that is marketable. If they are coming for the hotel or the restaurants they already are not coming to Fargo.

[ThunderDan]

To look at it from a different perspective, I just this AM received a email on a convention and in it they were emphasizing the things to do and the hotels within a 20 minute car ride of where the convention was being held. Heck in Fargometro you can get anywhere you want in 20 minutes from the dome area. Fargo could be like everywhere else with convention rooms or try and capture a niche and use what we have a lot of and that is space. Lots and lots of space around the dome. If you can cross sell the convention center with the dome area, that is something that most places don't have access to. Fargo is never going to be a destination convention draw like a Vegas, Orlando or Chicago so having it in a area with space can add something that is marketable. If they are coming for the hotel or the restaurants they already are not coming to Fargo.

Fair point, but there are that group of attendees who will not want to take an Uber anywhere or drive anywhere, so economically we are losing out more. I think downtown would have a much larger economic impact overall. And again, we'd lose tailgating/parking spots at the dome unless they have a plan to replace that.

[HerdBot]

For the love of all common sense, please do not build a convention center at the fargodome site. I understand not wanting to use the fargodome money to build downtown - i get that.
But who in their right mind thinks that conventions are going to come to Fargo if we build at the Fargodome site? How would that conversation go? "Hey, bring your convention to Fargo, we have a great spot next to an Applebess and BWW. There is no nightlife in this spot, just those 2 restaurants and 2 bars. (labbys and herd and horns) There is no shopping whatsoever either. Nothing at all. So, you basically get to either sit in your hotel or go to BWW/Applebees to eat, and your choice of two bars for entertainment."
People choose locations for conventions for a variety of reasons, but having stuff for the attendees to do after hours(within walking distance) is one of the big ones - it doesn't have to be Vegas, but you need to bring something more to the table than what is by the dome. Not to mention we'd lose parking for Bison games and concerts. Unless they are planning to build a parking ramp along with the convention center.

I'm ok building on the site but I'm not OK with cutting the already limited parking in half. Why can't they just do something on the SOUTH END. Plenty of space. Anyone remember this?

[Christopher Moen]

I know the diagram didn't show it, but isn't there a plan to build the convention center on the West Side with the caveat of using the structure of the convention center to build a some kind of suites on the West side of the Dome at the very top?