The Whistler Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 When was the last time the Engelstad held a business convention? I think the two facilities have different roles in the community...One is a convention center that can be used as an athletics facility and one is primarily a hockey arena for the Fighting Sioux...to compare the two and say one could have sufficed versus the other is comparing apples to oranges in my mind. Well a convention center is what the Alerus gang wanted in the first place. They promised us concerts and things that we'd make money on. The thing is the public didn't want a convention center. The public voted one down before the Alerus scam. And why should they want to spend an enormous amount of money. After all you and I don't own a hotel so why should our money be spent dragging in customers for them. That brings up an interesting point. At an informational meeting for the convention center it was revealed that the hotels absolutely would not tolerate a lodging task to pay for the convention center. Now restaurants and shopping get a little business off of that, but nearly everyone attending for a convention rents a hotel room. It seemed to me that if the people getting the biggest advantage out of the convention center were unwilling to pay for it, then there really was no reason to build it. And of course that place was never built. I see no moral reason to make me pay for someone else's convention business. The fact that the Alerus sits empty for months makes it very hard to come up with a complimentary business. That's why all the non subsidized hotels are being built down by the shopping. I've studied the matter and financially the Alerus is a huge loser for the city..http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/what-kind-of-idiots-spend-3-6-million-in-cash-to-bring-in-1-7-million/ The Ralph could host the large conventions like the teachers or political parties no problem. The hotels could host nearly every business convention. The place should never have been built. But it was because of the lies the Alerus gang made to get it approved. It seems to me that the first thing to do to turn it around is to get some new people in there instead of the liars that screwed it up to start with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 There was more than one study done before the voting on the Alerus Center stating it would lose money. With that knowledge the majoriy of people still voted for the Alerus Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Whistler Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 There was more than one study done before the voting on the Alerus Center stating it would lose money. With that knowledge the majoriy of people still voted for the Alerus Center. Yes there were studies. The Alerus gang said that the study was flawed and didn't include things like charging for parking. Then they had John Schmisek, the city finance guy, adjust their figures to account for the alleged errors in the study. That brings up another interesting item. Why is it that they assumed parking fees in their study but took seven or eight years to implement them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Yeah, if you compare Fargo's metro population to Grand Forks city population, big difference, but I know your trying to make a point here. My bad. You are right. Its only three times as big. three times the metro size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Local Boy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Anyone who supports The Alerus Center is doing so out of emotion and simply hasn't researched the facts. The arena side presents, on average, about one show per year. And, it's a highly non-successful show. Each arena concert with a major artist loses $100,000-$350,000. The convention side only grosses about $1.3M/year. These numbers a abysmal. So, fact is, as far as community-wide benefit, one concert is nothing in the grand scheme of things and the convention center's revenues are 75-90% sales that were realized in privately-owned facilities in the past. We now have 10 years of data to analyze. The facts are in and they're not pretty. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Anyone who supports The Alerus Center is doing so out of emotion and simply hasn't researched the facts. The arena side presents, on average, about one show per year. And, it's a highly non-successful show. Each arena concert with a major artist loses $100,000-$350,000. The convention side only grosses about $1.3M/year. These numbers a abysmal. So, fact is, as far as community-wide benefit, one concert is nothing in the grand scheme of things and the convention center's revenues are 75-90% sales that were realized in privately-owned facilities in the past. We now have 10 years of data to analyze. The facts are in and they're not pretty. Put the Library in the Alerus and utilize the space without building a new library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Local Boy Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Whoops...sorry for my intensity. I LOVE the header of this thread; "Alerus problems...how to fix them" I'd love to stay on topic. Anyone else? The supporters who rant and rave about the success and economic impact of a facility that presents one show a year and only grosses 1.3M of banquet/convention revenues, don't understand how bad things are at The Alerus. I've submitted ideas to change The Alerus for the better in another thread. I'll do it again when I have more time. Let's do it! The..."You're a small-minded naysayer who doesn't understand that The Civic lost 200K a year" is a ten year old argument and doesn't apply. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Just a reminder that Saturday (9-6) and Sunday (10-4) is the Grand Forks Men's Show at the Alerus Center. I am looking forward to checking out the turdy point buck, riding the mechanical bull, and the sampling free beer (Its really "free" for me cause I get "hookups" within the radio industry ) before I walk down the hallway to the Tavern United to continue my buzz before I board the hockey fun bus Saturday to the Ralph to watch the Sioux take on Bemidji St.... Next weeks topic: How the event: 1) Was poorly attended. 2) Lost money. 3) Wasn't a "big name" concert. 4) Could have been held at the Betty, Hyslop, Ralph, or Holiday Inn banquet room. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Local Boy Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 5) Did The Alerus Commission guarantee the event organizers a profitable event? Or, are these sweetheart deals only reserved for out of state entities that don't need the money? ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JESUS,family,rutgers Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Is there any way the center could be configured to hold minor league baseball ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Is there any way the center could be configured to hold minor league baseball ? The Alerus can be configured for other UND sports, like softball, indoor track, tennis, soccer (with the new turf), volleyball, and basketball (and even hockey - if it had the cooling coils), as one side of the stands are portable. However, baseball would have one outfield that would make bloop singles home runs, as well as as low roof. Maybe if they installed a giant left field wall a la Fenway Park, it could actually work for baseball. I'd really like UND to start lacrosse and play in the Alerus. Perfect facility for the sport. We could play Rutgers, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JESUS,family,rutgers Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Star, Normally I would say the Sioux would be able to beat our lacrosse team in the first year,but our coach is supposedly on the hot seat this year and we are playing better. Now,if the Fighting Sioux played our club hockey team,the scoreboard at The Ralph would probably melt !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison Dan Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Looks like the Alerus Center is preparing the public for a big loss. https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/government-and-politics/4871051-Alerus-Centers-2019-snow-removal-bill-254000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNDColorado Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, Bison Dan said: Looks like the Alerus Center is preparing the public for a big loss. https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/government-and-politics/4871051-Alerus-Centers-2019-snow-removal-bill-254000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UND1983 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 38 minutes ago, Bison Dan said: Looks like the Alerus Center is preparing the public for a big loss. https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/government-and-politics/4871051-Alerus-Centers-2019-snow-removal-bill-254000 Looks like nobody cares. On to 2020..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetch Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 Not really mentioned but GF was Jealous not having a indoor Football Arena & Yes the animosity between N GF & S GF is real GF needs jobs or Something to bring in people other than what L S S gives us GF hoped to have growth at least similar to Fargo back then & then & still today envied Fargo (Look at needing a new Hospital) ? ? ? UND hasn't exactly boomed in enrollment There has always been a sense of the City - UND - Engelstead Arena not really thinking things thru & doing things to Promote GF together but with the Flood & other things like Columbia Rd Overpass - Greenway - things could be worse - Maybe the Fertilizer Plant or the Drone place at the GFAFB will boom at some point ? Or something else ? We need Something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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