A team led by the Kilborn Group, EAPC Architects Engineers and ASM Global presented a downtown Fargo concept for a city‑owned convention center that would connect to the Radisson Blu via the skyway system and rely on existing downtown parking and businesses to serve guests.

Mike Almendinger of the Kilborn Group opened the presentation by saying, “Why downtown? This project is ready to go. There's no land acquisition. There's no TIF. There's no fundraising needed.” He added the site is adjacent to existing businesses, parking garages and Broadway Square, which the team said would allow quick activation of downtown public spaces.

EAPC President Alan Dostert said the team's design is 85,000 square feet, plus or minus, and stressed connectivity as the proposal’s core idea. “If you can come away with one thought,” Dostert said, “it's the connectivity of this project.” The plan wraps pre‑function space around the north and east sides of the building to face green space and the river, and it included multiple options for an enclosed or graded connection into the existing civic center and skyway.

ASM Global staff described operations and sales plans. Harry Khan, ASM, said the firm manages hundreds of public assembly venues and presented comparable secondary‑market convention centers it operates. Anna Nash, ASM senior vice president for market development, outlined sales strategies that leverage ASM’s network and emphasized experiential trends, saying signature outdoor spaces and dynamic meeting environments are priorities for meeting planners.

Key project details raised during the presentation and committee Q&A:

- Size and ownership: The team described the concept as roughly 85,000 square feet and said the city would own the convention center while ASM would operate it. EAPC called the footprint “85,000 square feet plus or minus.”

- Parking and access: The team pointed to existing downtown parking assets — city garages and privately owned lots — and proposed wayfinding and real‑time parking tools to manage flow. The presenters compared distances for walkability: they said University Drive to the Fargo Dome is about 600 feet and Broadway Square to the civic center is about 750 feet.

- Hotel and operations: The downtown team said it was not proposing a new full‑service headquarters hotel. Instead, its plan relies on the existing Radisson Blu and hotel community; the Radisson owner has discussed adding a 75‑room Marriott Moxy on top of the Radisson. The team said corporate operators such as Marriott or Hilton could manage both hotel and convention operations when needed, but no brand was finalized.

- Finance and incentives: Mike Almendinger said the site is in the riverfront TIF district but the team is not proposing to use riverfront TIF funds for the convention center itself. He said other connectivity projects (skyways, pedestrian bridges) could be funded from TIF or other budgets, at the city's discretion.

The committee asked about the enclosure type for the link into the civic center; Dostert said the team had studied overhead, grade‑level and lowered (semi‑subterranean) options and had not settled on a single approach. No formal vote or commitment was taken during the session.

Provenance: material drawn from the Kilborn / EAPC / ASM presentation to the selection committee and the subsequent Q&A.