EDT: Fargodome Expansion Vote vs Old Man Yells at Cloud (12-5-23)

[heffray]

That was assuming it passed with 60%. Instead we got 52% so we have to talk about it until the June election.

Lol ohhhh noooooo…

[LefseBison]

Even if I am "talking" to myself about this, I am going to keep posting about the FARGODOME project till the cows come home. I like all the ideas HerdBot has come up with. I think there was a letter to the editor by Paul Gleye. Professor Emeritus of Architecture at NDSU. To paraphrase and from my faulty memory (the letter was a day ago after all), he wanted something stunning for the convention center. I agree, blow us out of the water.

[HerdBot]

Even if I am "talking" to myself about this, I am going to keep posting about the FARGODOME project till the cows come home. I like all the ideas HerdBot has come up with. I think there was a letter to the editor by Paul Gleye. Professor Emeritus of Architecture at NDSU. To paraphrase and from my faulty memory (the letter was a day ago after all), he wanted something stunning for the convention center. I agree, blow us out of the water.

I googled the article and he knocked it out of the park. If we get a 2nd chance and design something awesome, I may be glad it failed the first time
https://www.inforum.com/opinion/lett...why-i-voted-no

Lets design something inspiring. It doesnt have to cost a fortune, just give it a uniqur facade

[LefseBison]

"We should not be penny-wise and pound foolish". "Some people look at the price of everything and the value of nothing."

I really LOVE the idea of even beautiful bathrooms. Bring us well into the future. I wish they would get Paul on board as a consultant on this. And ask him what he thinks about the huge FARGODOME sign with the yellow starburst pattern. I LOVE the font of FARGODOME - I believe it is Times Roman or something but when the vote eventually passes, maybe a different backlit emblem instead of the yellow thing.

[EndZoneQB]

I googled the article and he knocked it out of the park. If we get a 2nd chance and design something awesome, I may be glad it failed the first time
https://www.inforum.com/opinion/lett...why-i-voted-no

Lets design something inspiring. It doesnt have to cost a fortune, just give it a uniqur facade

They remodeled the Armory in partnership with the NFL for the Super Bowl. When the SB comes to a city, they generally build temp arenas for concerts and then rip them down. The partnership had NFL money, but the developer got to keep it scot-free, IIRC. No expense spared, if you've never taken in a show there, it's absolute spectacular. You don't have to leave the floor to get a drink, the club level is wide open, and basically never have to wait for the bathroom.

[GreenfieldBison]

They remodeled the Armory in partnership with the NFL for the Super Bowl. When the SB comes to a city, they generally build temp arenas for concerts and then rip them down. The partnership had NFL money, but the developer got to keep it scot-free, IIRC. No expense spared, if you've never taken in a show there, it's absolute spectacular. You don't have to leave the floor to get a drink, the club level is wide open, and basically never have to wait for the bathroom.

Most of the shows I go to are at the State, Orpheum, US Bank or my dead bang favorite, The Dakota. I have not ever been in the armory. So far.

[56BISON73]

I googled the article and he knocked it out of the park. If we get a 2nd chance and design something awesome, I may be glad it failed the first time
https://www.inforum.com/opinion/lett...why-i-voted-no

Lets design something inspiring. It doesnt have to cost a fortune, just give it a uniqur facade

They used to hold the AWA allstar wrestling there.

[LefseBison]

They used to hold the AWA allstar wrestling there.

Now, I am sold on it.

[HerdBot]

They remodeled the Armory in partnership with the NFL for the Super Bowl. When the SB comes to a city, they generally build temp arenas for concerts and then rip them down. The partnership had NFL money, but the developer got to keep it scot-free, IIRC. No expense spared, if you've never taken in a show there, it's absolute spectacular. You don't have to leave the floor to get a drink, the club level is wide open, and basically never have to wait for the bathroom.

I saw the Defones at the Armory a few years ago and it blew my mind. GA floor tickets with bar. 2 mezanine levels with bars. Unreal. It's 65k SF on the floor and 110k SF with the mezanine space.

We could never match the stone and granite of the Armory but we could match the layout for inspiration. If were going to build something 90,000 SF, why not make it 100,000 SF and make 45,000 a convention center ballroom and make the other 55,000 SF a multi purpose concert / convention hall. Put the needed "breakout space on a 2nd level mezzanine. It would be the ultimate facility for concerts, theatre, conventions, conferences, etc. It would be a better venue for smaller shows than the dome, which is sort of sterile and be a destination. We need something that can replace the Civic or The Hub. We dont have an indoor facility for shows around 2000. Plenty outdoors. We have no good facilities under 4,000

[HerdBot]

I saw the Defones at the Armory a few years ago and it blew my mind. GA floor tickets with bar. 2 mezanine levels with bars. Unreal. It's 65k SF on the floor and 110k SF with the mezanine space.

We could never match the stone and granite of the Armory but we could match the layout for inspiration. If were going to build something 90,000 SF, why not make it 100,000 SF and make 45,000 a convention center ballroom and make the other 55,000 SF a multi purpose concert / convention hall. Put the needed "breakout space on a 2nd level mezzanine. It would be the ultimate facility for concerts, theatre, conventions, conferences, etc. It would be a better venue for smaller shows than the dome, which is sort of sterile and be a destination. We need something that can replace the Civic or The Hub. We dont have an indoor facility for shows around 2000. Plenty outdoors. We have no good facilities under 4,000

I can say with absolute confidence if you take all the outdoor shows at The Lights, Fargo Brewing, and Bluestem Amphither, it draws more people than the 6 Fargodome concerts we've been averaging. Bluestem sold 8,000 tickets just for 2 Willie Nelson shows. These people travel and stay in hotels, shop and eat at our restaurants too

Unfortunately, you can't have outdoor shows 8 months out of the year

Scheels Arena is consistantly booked on weekends with Force Hockey games from September through April

Even the Fargodome is booked most weekends. You got 6 Bison home games and they reservre all Friday and Saturdays from Thanksgiving weekend to mid December. At least another venue can plan around the 6 home games and have a Friday or late Saturday night show at 10 pm since Bison games are done at 5:30 pm

Then you got annual stuff that fills up weekends like USA Wrestling, Dakota Bowl, State Volleyball Tournament (rotates), Boat Show, Home Show, Sportsman Show, Rumble on the Red, Rodeo, Circus, Art & Craft Fair, Monster Jam, Rib Fest, WWE, etc. You got smaller non revenue producing events like high school graduations, Gold Star Marching Band concert, youth football, Pancake feed and fill the dome

A venue like this would be packed. Conferences, conventions, concerts, MMA fights, etc

Also Fargo is big enough now where we can have multiple shows on the same night. Lil' Wayne sold out Scheels Arena and competed with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers on the same night. People who like rap is a different crowd than country or metal. Heck the dome could have a country concert that draws 10,000. In the day there could be a conference and in the evening there could be a dubstep DJ in the concert hall with 4,000