[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6495006,"mediaKeyId","5600787-5c1bfa43068c0a0c8e3fcbfd5d55310e","parentId",5600787,"title","Fargo Dome Authority outlines convention center, hotel plan and budget update to Cass County commissioners","audioSeconds",1617,"startMs",223000,"endMs",1840000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600787-5c1bfa43068c0a0c8e3fcbfd5d55310e&start=223&end=1840","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600787-5c1bfa43068c0a0c8e3fcbfd5d55310e/thumbnail_223000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6495006/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Fargo-Dome-Authority-outlines-convention-center-hotel-plan-and-budget-update-to-Cass-County-commissioners","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6495006-f25e353655804238ff712f9792269d1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773135593&Signature=ervT-qV17pEm-Dan~1kZMrPLGaZYLOg13P5Ndfzz6p9q2OkGjVyxKaIPUQ2~BWPJuJpqLGTg4UvC1N12i0UHAz-K-0uRMupW6O9sY1-O~XXkw1hcIOaq-Fk0BU0CQerg5laDJ7Pzu7GDDUHSz87YY97syWLHhUcOR7hsQn6OQ4kxMTRCnbWt0ZftEJ0~VITrKPzW3Yt5ptEmih0sxcQ1ZNV6Q-10hREDDNiEC9hnctJsdBt~REtKEZ4pI3xlTR3v0LiSs-jFUo0ueFcFcI5XtLfPCeVMXPIolpHefyzc7qfe8xM5EgOq4y-rab4GQFDgjBm-hmAgccyypT7ofsJZfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cass County, KS","date","2025-08-18T22:17:17.803Z","article","FARGO — Representatives from the Fargo Dome Authority told the Cass County Commission they expect a near break-even year for operations and presented a concept for a convention center attached to the Fargo Dome that would include a 150–200 room hotel on land leased from North Dakota State University.

The authority’s midyear financial summary showed 47 events through June 30 with about 183,000 total attendees and year-to-date event income of $1,454,000 versus a budgeted $1,500,000. ‘‘So far we've had 47 actual events. Attendance has been about 183,000, which is slightly below budget,’’ Rick Steen, a member of the Fargo Dome Authority board, told commissioners. He said other income was about $964,000 and noted indirect expenses of $2,000,569 led to a year-to-date net loss of $150,873 compared with a budgeted net loss of $128,496.

Why it matters: the authority says fall is the busy season and that its longer-term finances lean on two pools of resources — operating cash the Dome keeps for near-term capital needs and a separate permanent fund invested under the city’s investment policies. ‘‘The Fargo Dome does carry about $7,000,000 of cash,’’ Steen said. He also reported the Dome Permanent Fund’s investments at about $44,427,000 as of the latest data available.

Proposal and scope: Steen presented a conceptual proposal developed with design firms RLE and Perkins and Will and financial advisers Marquette Advisors. The plan ties a roughly 50,000-square-foot ballroom and exhibition hall to the Dome’s existing spaces, adding prefunction and meeting rooms and creating roughly 150,000 square feet of additional usable exhibition and concourse space when the campus is combined. Steen said the design team envisions about 160 hotel rooms in the attached lodging and roughly 100,000 square feet of retail/entertainment/restaurant space in a courtyard area east of the center.

Cost and funding: The presentation included a ballpark construction estimate for the convention center in the ‘‘$35 million to $50 million’’ range, depending on final scope. Steen explained that part of the work — notably the concourse and certain attachments to the Dome — would be paid using the Dome’s permanent fund equity, while the hotel and private retail would be privately financed by developers. ‘‘The lodging tax — that’s the 3% — that pays for the $40,000,000. That’ll be funded, that’ll be debt, and then the lodging tax pays for the debt over a period of time,’’ Steen said, discussing how debt service would be structured against projected lodging-tax revenues.

Site and partners: The authority’s materials note that the Dome site is leased from North Dakota State University and that NDSU and the NDSU Foundation would be partners in approving and accommodating the hotel and adjacent development. Local firms referenced in the proposal included Brandt Hospitality as a potential hotel manager and Charles Anderson as a construction contractor; Marquette Advisors was listed for capital advisory services.

Questions from commissioners: Commissioners asked about transit access, parking and accessibility upgrades. Steen said transportation and bus stops were addressed in the proposal and that the team had talked to NDSU about swapping or accessing additional lots to replace parking lost to the project footprint. On accessibility upgrades, Steen said some ADA and other improvements to the Dome would be funded from the permanent fund and could be coordinated with construction on the new center.

Next steps: Steen said proposers would meet with the city subcommittee over several Fridays for question-and-answer sessions, after which the subcommittee would narrow and rank proposals. ‘‘We’ll be having meetings starting this Friday…they’re going to break up the groups…and from that they’re gonna be making their decisions,’’ he said. The authority did not present any formal request for immediate action by the Cass County Commission.

Context and limits: Steen emphasized the site is leased land and that NDSU would need to amend its lease for some phases. He also noted that the Dome Authority is a city entity and therefore must follow city procurement rules for consultant engagement. Commissioners did not take a formal vote on funding or site selection during the meeting.

Taper: The authority will continue to brief the city review committee and to answer questions from the subcommittee as proposals are narrowed; no county obligation or contract was approved at the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commission Meeting 8/18","oneSentenceSummary","FARGO — Representatives from the Fargo Dome Authority told the Cass County Commission they expect a near break-even year for operations and presented a concept for a convention center attached to the Fargo Dome that would include a 150–200 room hotel on land leased from North Dakota State University.","taxTitle","Cass County, North Dakota","taxId",2734,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6494997,"Commission approves nomination of county IT department for North Dakota Association of Counties award",215,2829000,3044000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600787-5c1bfa43068c0a0c8e3fcbfd5d55310e&start=2829&end=3044","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600787-5c1bfa43068c0a0c8e3fcbfd5d55310e/thumbnail_2829000.jpg","/articles/6494997/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Commission-approves-nomination-of-county-IT-department-for-North-Dakota-Association-of-Counties-award","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494997-793a1c2244af4e6d0aa3cf757fdfb9e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773135593&Signature=Jk63YCYMivNHmS0K7oKPML62A~cBzCPHWacaDfG78fXoJyvAtIT~90r3W4JbAvQJ8cG2V6~E4gT9WWSWi5GwzzKUOMlh9ZrwmOEnQUpE2-~DZavlxP2vCeAPZno1KAzCtcUEXD4neQ7AC1wgniWar3QSq~MdhJi0RUaaWYg4PfWRAKJIqd-p2BuOHBA2H7WxfcQhOgJhoGUYxOTetv1cDJDPHe0o8YfaWYvBia0YfTNlwY148AzbFYLF2gqViX3xa1VBJRR2jKoIu2JJeoUe7UzpX4D3OuEEbPCk4PwDWIJCR3MIrKL3Jqg3kdtrGQRKFFG4JDAaQ4O9EPYvYa~jxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","FARGO — The Cass County Commission approved nominating the county Information Technology Department, led by IT Director Bob Henderson, for the North Dakota Association of Counties’ Excellence in County Government award in the employee division.

Michael Wilson, speaking for county administration, said he had received a nomination and prepared an application package highlighting the IT department’s recent accomplishments. ‘‘I received a nomination or a suggestion that, that Cass County, nominate the, for excellence in county government award, employee division to Bob Henderson and the Information Technology Department,’’ Wilson said.

Wilson asked the commission to approve submitting the nomination and supporting narrative. The commissioners voted in favor; during the roll call commissioners recorded aye votes and later publicly thanked Henderson. Henderson acknowledged the recognition, saying ‘‘Thank you, guys.’’

Why it matters: Wilson told the commission the department’s recent work included problem solving, service improvements and initiatives across county departments; the nomination requires board approval before submission to the association. The county also discussed keeping supporting documents in the employee’s personnel or permanent file for record-keeping.

Formal action: The commission approved the nomination and directed that supporting documents be filed with the appropriate personnel records. The vote was recorded in the affirmative by the commissioners present.

Taper: The nomination will be submitted to the North Dakota Association of Counties for consideration at its annual convention in Bismarck.

","The county approved submitting the Information Technology Department, led by Bob Henderson, for the North Dakota Association of Counties’ excellence in county government award in the employee division; the nomination will be submitted with supporting documentation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6495002,"Cass County committee recommends JLG as preferred architect for space‑needs project; commission authorizes negotiations",992,1823000,2815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600787-5c1bfa43068c0a0c8e3fcbfd5d55310e&start=1823&end=2815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600787-5c1bfa43068c0a0c8e3fcbfd5d55310e/thumbnail_1823000.jpg","/articles/6495002/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Cass-County-committee-recommends-JLG-as-preferred-architect-for-spaceneeds-project-commission-authorizes-negotiations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6495002-fb62655067d342910870293d234afcd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773135593&Signature=Pxy0CHauPd0xE5dSlp6yRfXKYCzDGUAcd~yvN~l0eaYmp47IW9GKs8XourafQGzcUZpENoBa-esciApX5VWgQuvb2gS0eR0yxLVzAvMPLBxTEG4z~CFEadawRw~-anahYbdLBaO~I9UT4Pe5ZBN-qYzQP-KNmuuQaVqM7pPDPwvzLbwfQW6Ju1w9wKv2l4WOMa9vG8ShhCCo2y2XPF96oihLSWOi-BVyeRR42bBCuAUGG5h5fSD30ushnWHq5OYlHBCtn-f1mvX-JkLyDxIrovmhlzu9yWFu9qUxGHjXrFM8yIfNUD-cGAnXHA7jqF2BZAR1iYYjDNBDMdUsjIbIbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","FARGO — The Cass County Commission on Wednesday designated JLG Architects as the county’s preferred bidder to lead architectural services advancing the county’s space‑needs study and directed staff to negotiate a contract for services.

County administrator (presenter) Michael Wilson told commissioners that the county opened three sealed proposals on Aug. 6 from Foss Architecture and Interiors, JLG Architects and Stone Group Architects. ‘‘We are presenting for your consideration a nomination or a recognition as a preferred bidder, JLG on this project,’’ Wilson said. He explained that a review team — Wilson, building-and-grounds supervisor Gene Gartner and IT director Bob Henderson — evaluated price, experience and approach and recommended JLG despite its higher percentage fee because the firm built explicit ‘‘circle‑back’’ verification steps into its process.

Why it matters: the county’s space‑needs project follows a multi‑phase assessment of facility requirements prompted in part by a secure‑courtroom addition that displaced other functions. The work will advance design and construction administration to address office and court space needs countywide.

Proposals and rationale: Foss proposed a fee of 6.75% of construction cost, JLG proposed 7.45%, and Stone Group offered a flat fee of $712,126. Wilson said the group chose to recommend JLG because its methodology emphasized additional verification with departments before finalizing plans. ‘‘JLG really built in an additional component of almost circling back with the groups…that double back was a very significant step,’’ Wilson said.

Motion and contracting approach: Commissioners discussed cost differences and whether to negotiate only with the recommended firm or to include the lowest-cost proposer in further talks. Concerns were raised about using standard AIA contract forms; Commissioner Breitling and others urged county counsel to review or propose alternative contract language. Wilson told the board that staff would collaborate with the state’s attorney’s office on contract form and would bring the negotiated agreement back to the commission for approval.

Formal action and vote: The commission voted to identify JLG as the preferred bidder and to direct staff to negotiate an agreement including costs and contract terms. The motion passed with all voting members recorded in favor.

Tally: Commissioners Grinberg, Capitan, Breitling, Bettle and Flacco recorded aye votes during the roll call.

Next steps: Staff will negotiate contract language and fees with JLG and return recommended contract terms to the commission for final authorization. County staff said they would work with the state’s attorney to consider alternative contract forms better suited to county interests.

","County staff recommended JLG Architects as the preferred bidder to lead design and construction administration work following a competitive process. The commission authorized staff to negotiate terms with JLG and to involve the state’s attorney during contract drafting; the motion passed unanimously.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fargo Dome Authority outlines convention center, hotel plan and budget update to Cass County commissioners

Commission approves nomination of county IT department for North Dakota Association of Counties award

Cass County committee recommends JLG as preferred architect for space‑needs project; commission authorizes negotiations