Fargo approves December 5th special election for Fargodome expansion, remodel

[BISONBRI53]

Huh? Location? 13th Ave N and 19th ave N are like 60 seconds apart*.


* with a flat tire and driving 25 mph on the shoulder

Well it's 13th ave in South Fargo compared to 19th ave N in north fargo. close but not that close... West Acres area would be the best...

[unbison]

If educating kids was such a great idea why don't we have private sponsorships lined up for every public school in Fargo????? Government supporting and paying for k-12 education is a waste of money!!!! It brings no value to the city!!!!.

Do you really not understand how some investments aren't made for the direct return on themselves but for the greater impact they will have on things around them?

I do. Our opinion on the benefit is obviously the difference

[GreenfieldBison]

Well it's 13th ave in South Fargo compared to 19th ave N in north fargo. close but not that close... West Acres area would be the best...

Right. My bad. Perhaps the 13th ave so locale would be more ideal from a local perspective as some of you suggest. But the facility is where the facility is. Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good.

I don't know why I'm posting on this though. I have no dog in the fight*. I'll hang up and listen from here on out.

* I am about to list my mom's house for sale though in Moorhead which will bring my free hotel rooms to an end. Therefore I will be paying those hotel taxes going forward whenever I visit your fair city. I still vote Yes.

[Bison Dan]

But then the sales tax replenishes the Dome reserve......so is the Fargodome really paying for anything or are they just spotting a portion of it upfront and getting paid back over time?

I guess they could be like the Alerus and be broke. At lease the Dome has a reserve and the Alerus will have to have a new funding mechanism going forward.

[abc123]

I guess they could be like the Alerus and be broke. At lease the Dome has a reserve and the Alerus will have to have a new funding mechanism going forward.

So much in their reserve they need to have a tax to cover the proposed updates and also use it to replenish any money they use. And they still won't have WiFi!

[T-Funk]

I'll likely vote yes since the small sales tax increase cost to me personally is worth the overall economic benefit to the community. However, it grinds me that the renovation part of the dome doesn't include wifi and/or replacing the seats with something more modern and not blue and red. The current seats were hand-me-downs to begin with, and now they're 30 years older on top of that. Replace the seats with green or yellow ones and include cup holders. That's all I ask.... plus wifi.

[Hammerhead]

Where would you build an entirely freestanding convention center with parking anywhere close to West Acres without demolishing something already in place? The addition to the Fargodome would already have parking and a gigantic display floor for when those are needed.

It's becoming a principal thing in Fargo. Taxes on everything have gone up considerably. Property taxes up 3-4-% in last two years. Utility tax, hook up fees. It is getting to be enough is enough. Additionally the location is terrible. If you put it near West Acres, then there is a benefit for more of the community.

And as you look at the deal, the Fargodome is putting nothing into it. They get their reserve paid back.

I think this is dead in the water.

[kab1one]

Well it's 13th ave in South Fargo compared to 19th ave N in north fargo. close but not that close... West Acres area would be the best...

Although the distance isn't great its a perception deal. One family member at the dome convention site. The other 5 miles away at the West Acres. Groups like to stay together. West Acres site means West Fargo School district. Then all of a sudden you have West Fargo support and you can do an expanded citywide tax to include West Fargo and Fargo. West Acres area business on board and you have a completely different marketing and ad campaign to get it done.

If this gets voted down, you will hear of a West Acres proposal that will be brought forth fairly quickly as that is the fall back plan for the city of Fargo.

[kab1one]

It is the Holiday Inn site. Two freeways. Easy access. The tower at Holiday Inn has been not used for quite some time due to water damage. Tear that down, add convention space. Build parking ramps, then the existing parking gets developed. West Fargo School district although its a Fargo site. Then you have West Fargo on board.

The other place is next to Scheels arena. Not as good as access and not as close to West Acres. But all the other boxes are checked.

So options exist with much demo work.

[AKBison]

Well it's 13th ave in South Fargo compared to 19th ave N in north fargo. close but not that close... West Acres area would be the best...

The West acres area is stagnant and a convention center there would do wonders for area businesses, restaurants, and hotels. In addition, the traffic flow and access would be substantially better.