The Fargo Dome Authority presented a proposal to site a new convention center adjacent to the Fargo Dome and to develop a connected hotel and entertainment district in phases, leveraging existing utilities, parking and the Dome’s event operations.

Dave Supas and Rich Wimpkin of RLE Architects and Perkins & Will described a design that places a roughly 50,000‑square‑foot exhibition hall adjacent to the Dome, with pre‑function spaces wrapped on three sides and a prominent northeast “knuckle” pre‑function lobby designed to allow the convention center to operate independently or to connect into the Fargo Dome for very large events. Wimpkin said the site’s advantages include ready access to interstates, proximity to NDSU and existing parking and utilities, which the presenters argued could shorten the start‑up schedule.

The team proposed a three‑phase approach: build the convention center first (phase 1); run an RFP and add a hotel on leased NDSU land in phase 2; and develop an entertainment and food‑and‑beverage district on the southeast corner of the Fargo Dome property in phase 3 in coordination with North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the NDSU Foundation. The presenters said the Dome is on a 100‑year land lease with NDSU for $1 and that some land‑lease amendments would be necessary for the hotel and later phases.

Operational and logistics details presented included:

- Back‑of‑house and loading: the team proposed approximately seven truck docks to support fast turnarounds and a large, flexible service area.

- Existing exhibit inventory: presenters said the dome site currently offers about 80,000 square feet of exhibit space on the field level, plus roughly 70,000 square feet on concourse levels that can be used in conjunction with a new convention facility.

- Parking: RLE said the Fargo Dome currently controls about 4,000 parking spaces on site and acknowledged a projected net loss of roughly 350 parking spots due to new construction; the team pointed to another approximately 4,500 parking spaces within a three‑to‑four block radius controlled by partners such as NDSU, the research park and other nearby facilities.

- Kitchens and catering: the convention kitchen was sized around 7,000 square feet in the proposal; the presenters noted an existing 2,500‑square‑foot kitchen in the Dome could be used to supplement operations.

Financing and operations: the Fargo Dome Authority explained the convention center would be city‑owned and operated by Fargo Dome staff, augmented as needed; the Dome Authority also said a $45,000,000 permanent fund is available and that the RFP’s $40,000,000 “sandbox” figure is the baseline for the convention center budget, with the Authority prepared to supplement that fund if necessary.

The team said they expect the hotel and convention center planning to proceed concurrently if their proposal is selected: “If awarded the convention center … you don’t want to wait until the convention center [is] done and then start on the hotel,” one presenter said. The Authority emphasized multiple use cases — simultaneous events at the Dome and the convention center, or combined large events — and noted that its long experience operating the Dome provides a staffing base for the proposed convention center.

No formal vote occurred. Committee members asked detailed questions about parking, phasing, the land‑lease arrangement with NDSU and how staff and catering would be managed during overlapping events.

Provenance: drawn from the RLE / Perkins & Will / Fargo Dome Authority presentation and Q&A during the selection committee session.