FARGO 鈥� The proposed construction boom for athletic venues on the North Dakota State campus may not be over. City officials on Tuesday unveiled a projected $140 million renovation to the Fargodome as well as a convention center addition that could have a significant impact on the dome鈥檚 primary tenant: Bison football games.
The project is slated to add an addition to the west side that will include sky boxes on top as well as a second-level deck on the southeast corner overlooking Gate City Bank Field. Moreover, the addition of more bathrooms and concession space would be targeted to reduce waiting lines at events like NDSU football games.
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To pay for it, city officials are proposing using $30 million from the dome鈥檚 surplus fund plus a combination one-fourth-cent sales tax and a 3% lodging tax with a special election set for Dec. 5. A super majority 60% approval is required for passage.
Tuesday鈥檚 announcement was the culmination of a long-talked about project of a building that saw its first Bison football game in 1993. While Bison football has evolved from NCAA Division II to a Division I FCS dynasty, not much has changed in the dome鈥檚 arena with the exception of new lighting, video system and new artificial turf.
This project would be more about addressing the fan experience, said dome general manager Rob Sobolik.
Adding seats in the 5,000 to 10,000 range with potential aspirations of NDSU moving up to FBS football would not be feasible, he said. That price tag would well exceed $140 million, he said.
鈥淎nd if we can鈥檛 do that, then we want the amenities,鈥� Sobolik said. 鈥淲e want the space for people to move. We want the circulation, more restaurants, accessible seating, the variety of the food and beverages, the variety of the seating areas for people to go to.鈥�
Modern stadiums like U.S. Bank Stadium and Target Field in Minneapolis were designed with those areas in mind. Target Field has the Budweiser Roof Deck in left field. U.S. Bank has bars and restaurants overlooking the field.
Target Center in Minneapolis, in its latest remodel, removed suites and went to more theater-like seating and club space, and reduced capacity in the process. Even Newman Outdoor Field next to the dome has concourse areas and a left field deck for fans to watch the game without needing a seat.
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鈥淪eating areas for people to go to so some will come back and say, OK I鈥檓 going to the football game but I could give two cents that there鈥檚 a football game going on,鈥� Sobolik said. 鈥淚 just need to be seen there and I鈥檓 going to hang out in this other space and talk to people. I think it would bring on that, but that鈥檚 my opinion.鈥�
It鈥檚 a trend in other arenas around the country, Sobolik said, and not just in Minneapolis. It would go hand-in-hand with a building trend of athletic facilities at NDSU, with the latest the $54 million Nodak Insurance Football Performance Complex. In the last 10 years, the athletic department has opened Scheels Center at Sanford Health Athletic Complex, new indoor and outdoor track facilities, Tharaldson Park for softball and a renovated Dacotah Field for women's soccer.
Sobolik said a decrease in attendance at NDSU football games in recent years is not a concern. For one, part of that can be attributed to the pandemic and he said stadiums are beginning to see fans coming back.
鈥淣ow we鈥檙e two years past and people are like, I really like that social aspect,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o this is creating the space where they have that social aspect of the event and this is what that is attempting to do.鈥�
And it鈥檚 just not in the building, either. The project is taking events like tailgating for Bison football games into the mix by removing Albrecht Boulevard adjacent to the building on the west side and moving the tailgating lot up against the west side addition. A plaza would also be part of that area. Sobolik said it鈥檚 possible the main entrance of the building could be moved to the west side, taking into account it has the most parking spaces and taking advantage of the addition. The second level of the addition can be part of a tailgating event, he said. Bathrooms on the main level would be immediately accessible before games without having to walk into the arena.
Walk-around areas in the southwest and northeast corners would serve as additional concourse space on the main level. That would help address congestion in events like Bison football games, city officials said.
鈥淚t will allow for the circulation and comfort for our guests,鈥� Sobolik said.
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Plans call for a new press box on the east side and the removal of the northside press box that was never used. They call for additional and better wheelchair and companion seating. Currently, the dome has 86 accessible seats for football games with the proposed plan taking that to 224.
A bunker suite on the field level in the southeast corner could be used for Bison football games, Sobolik said. U.S. Bank Stadium has a similar space for Minnesota Vikings games.
Proposed construction, a timeline tabbed at three to four years, would be planned to limit intrusion to Bison football games as much as possible, perhaps similar to the lobby construction in 2000. It would be phased to meet fire codes, mainly in regards to entrances and exits.
The construction will also be cognizant of annual events like the home show, Monster Jam, Shrine Circus and the North Dakota high school state wrestling tournaments.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have to manage it and work through that,鈥� Sobolik said.
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