Any truth to this story?

[jodcon]

Depending on the finishes that building would cost 150-200 million.

Need a lot more than 30 million.

The practice facility is the next priority for UND. A sizeable donation would probably be for that.

I was thinking about mentioning that too but didn't want to be a total buzzkill.

I guess now that it's out I can tack on that a retractable roof would probably add another 50+ million to the price. How they justify that is beyond me, but for the big stadiums it's 75-125 for a retractable so I'm guessing for a 25k stadium you wouldn't pay any less than 50.

[jodcon]

I agree with you entirely, but if a wealthy donor(s) wants to put the cart before the horse and build us a new stadium and a training facility, I say go for it! Our recruiting would go up exponentially with facilities like that.

That would be awesome, but it would take an Englestad-type donation and I don't think Kleinsasser has that much extra cash lying around.

But seriously, it will take a monstrous fundraising effort when the time comes.

[IrishSiouxFan]

UND has around 11 extremely wealthy alumni who could easily make this happen without putting so much as a scratch on their bank accounts. It's too bad Ralph didn't play both hockey and football or this thing would have been built ten years ago. in my opinion a school like UND deserves a facilities like these.

[siouxu31]

Does anybody know if the Englestads will be donating anymore money to UND? I realize Ralph played hockey but would they be interested in helping build a premier football team?

I think Sioux fans should be thankful for the donations that the Englestads have already given to the university and not be sticking their hand out for more money. The majority of schools will never receive donations to their sports programs as we did from that generous family.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I think Sioux fans should be thankful for the donations that the Englestads have already given to the university and not be sticking their hand out for more money. The majority of schools will never receive donations to their sports programs as we did from that generous family.

Nobody is being ungrateful. The Engelstads are wonderful people dedicated to UND and have made enormous contributions to hockey and basketball. It's not in bad taste to ask if anyone has heard if they plan on making anymore donations to UND.

[bincitysioux]

I agree that it is great to dream big, and look to the future..............who knows what could happen down the road? I believe it was Irish that pointed it out........who would have realistically thought that we could have basically doubled the size of the hockey rink, and still sold out every game for 10 years running?

Having said that however, I'm in the camp that we need to focus on filling the stadium that we have before entertaining the idea of moving out of it........I think that most coaches, administrators, and student-athletes would probably agree that the Alerus is nicer than 90% of all FCS football venues.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I agree that it is great to dream big, and look to the future..............who knows what could happen down the road? I believe it was Irish that pointed it out........who would have realistically thought that we could have basically doubled the size of the hockey rink, and still sold out every game for 10 years running?

Having said that however, I'm in the camp that we need to focus on filling the stadium that we have before entertaining the idea of moving out of it........I think that most coaches, administrators, and student-athletes would probably agree that the Alerus is nicer than 90% of all FCS football venues.

I would agree that we have a nicer football stadium than 90% of FCS programs out there, there is no question that our attendance will go once Big Sky play commences (especially against Montana and Montana State). All I'm saying is that big things are coming, and they're coming sooner than most people are expecting.

[firewall]

As an Oregon transplant I

[Ole in MSP]

I would agree that we have a nicer football stadium than 90% of FCS programs out there, there is no question that our attendance will go once Big Sky play commences (especially against Montana and Montana State). All I'm saying is that big things are coming, and they're coming sooner than most people are expecting.

I have only been there once, but the Alerus is a nice facility that unfortunately should have been built with seating in the endzones and a total of 15000 or more. This discussion would not happen had that been done. Also, the decision to seat only 3000 at the Betty was very short sighted, should have been 6000.

[darell1976]

Our second year of transition (2007) we played teams like Texas A&M-Kingsville, and SCSU we averaged over 10,000 at the Alerus. We CAN fill the place we just need both a good team and a cause to come out to the stadium. A good team is coming, the cause starts next season with playoffs in the horizon.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I have only been there once, but the Alerus is a nice facility that unfortunately should have been built with seating in the endzones and a total of 15000 or more. This discussion would not happen had that been done. Also, the decision to seat only 3000 at the Betty was very short sighted, should have been 6000.

I agree, it was a huge oversight not to make the Alerus larger, or at least giving it the capability of expansion to accommodate growth. I have no idea why the city of Grand Forks invest that much money in a structure that would be outgrown 20 years down the road.

[The Sicatoka]

Here are two things working in UND's favor:

http://www.cmegroup.com/trading/metals/precious/gold.html

http://www.cmegroup.com/trading/energy/crude-oil/light-sweet-crude.html

[UNDvince97-01]

I have only been there once, but the Alerus is a nice facility that unfortunately should have been built with seating in the endzones and a total of 15000 or more. This discussion would not happen had that been done. Also, the decision to seat only 3000 at the Betty was very short sighted, should have been 6000.

Wow Ole, you and I agree on something.

[bincitysioux]

Here are some pics of Portland State's newly rennovated stadium. Granted, it is mainly for Portlands's MLS soccer team, and that is what drove the rennovations, but it still looks kinda cool...........

JELD-WEN Field

[IrishSiouxFan]

Here are some pics of Portland State's newly rennovated stadium. Granted, it is mainly for Portlands's MLS soccer team, and that is what drove the rennovations, but it still looks kinda cool...........

JELD-WEN Field

Nice find! My question is, do we really need a dome? Could we get by with a partially covered horse shoe stadium? The weather doesn't really get nasty until around Thanksgiving up here.

[bincitysioux]

Nice find! My question is, do we really need a dome? Could we get by with a partially covered horse shoe stadium? The weather doesn't really get nasty until around Thanksgiving up here.

If I know Grand Forks sports fans like I think I do, they will not take to well to the idea of going back to the great outdoors for Sioux Football after getting comfortable inside the Alerus.

[UND Fan]

As an Oregon transplant Ive learned the one thing you dont tell a Fighting Sioux fan is that they cant do something. I really enjoy the tenacity and can do attitude of UND and Grand Forks. No wonder people like Ralph Engelstad, Phil Jackson, John Berry and many, many others are so successful. Not to mention a medical school that is one of the best in the nation. There is an excitement and sense of future possibilities here that I never knew existed in Eugene.

Thanks for the observation - that is very good to hear from someone relatively new to the area!

[HowBoutThemBison?]

If I know Grand Forks sports fans like I think I do, they will not take to well to the idea of going back to the great outdoors for Sioux Football after getting comfortable inside the Alerus.

Thats the thing in Fargo too People have been spoiled by watching games in a 68 degree environment instead of 15-85 degrees

[star2city]

UND has around 11 extremely wealthy alumni who could easily make this happen without putting so much as a scratch on their bank accounts. It's too bad Ralph didn't play both hockey and football or this thing would have been built ten years ago. in my opinion a school like UND deserves a facilities like these.

Eleven alumni who are billionaires? Or $500 mill +?

How many actually would donate to athletics?

[UND Fan]

UND has around 11 extremely wealthy alumni who could easily make this happen without putting so much as a scratch on their bank accounts. It's too bad Ralph didn't play both hockey and football or this thing would have been built ten years ago. in my opinion a school like UND deserves a facilities like these.

I am not suggesting that you are incorrect but what was your source for "around 11"?

[Cratter]

Eleven alumni who are billionaires? Or $500 mill +?

How many actually would donate to athletics?

Yeah he seems to be a little "out there" on his guesses.

The engelstad arena definately put a "scratch" in Ralph's bank account. When he died his estimated "net worth" (not cash in hand) was 500 Million. Which put him in the top 400 Richest People in the US. And apparenlty UND has 10-11 more of them!!

[IrishSiouxFan]

Yeah he seems to be a little "out there" on his guesses.

The engelstad arena definately put a "scratch" in Ralph's bank account. When he died his estimated "net worth" (not cash in hand) was 500 Million. Which put him in the top 400 Richest People in the US. And apparenlty UND has 10-11 more of them!!

My graduate advisor is connected to the alumni association and told me that we had around 11 very wealthy alumni (he didn't specify how wealthy). It came up in a class discussion on the various tactics universities use to encourage alumni donations. I was actually hoping someone on this board might have more information about it. Cratter. Although I don't have a link with that information I did hear from a fairly credible source.

[Cratter]

My graduate advisor is connected to the alumni association and told me that we had around 11 very wealthy alumni (he didn't specify how wealthy). It came up in a class discussion on the various tactics universities use to encourage alumni donations. I was actually hoping someone on this board might have more information about it. Cratter. Although I don't have a link with that information I did hear from a fairly credible source.

Oh there is no doubt UND has 11+ very wealthy alumni. The problem is with the misnomer of any one of the 11 alumi could easily donate to UND a 150+million dollars to UND without a "dent in their bank account." Unless you meant all 11 donated together.

"Very wealthy" is to a lot of people about 10-100 Million. Not one UND alumni has over a billion dollars net worth.

You get kudos for admitting your source.

Dave Fennell is from Alberta and also graduated from the U of Alberta. Maybe others could speculate how much he likes/dislikes UND. Just saying its not his only Alma Mater.

Dave Fennell was Executive Vice Chairman of Miramar Mining which was sold in 2007 to Newmont in a $1.5 billion all cash bid. Has the sale gone through, I don't know. How much Dave might have gotten of that? I don't know.

[IrishSiouxFan]

Oh there is no doubt UND has 11+ very wealthy alumni. The problem is with the misnomer of any one of the 11 alumi could easily donate to UND a 150+million dollars to UND without a "dent in their bank account." Unless you meant all 11 donated together.

"Very wealthy" is to a lot of people about 10-100 Million. Not one UND alumni has over a billion dollars net worth.

You get kudos for admitting your source.

Dave Fennell is from Alberta and also graduated from the U of Alberta. Maybe others could speculate how much he likes/dislikes UND. Just saying its not his only Alma Mater.

Dave Fennell was Executive Vice Chairman of Miramar Mining which was sold in 2007 to Newmont in a $1.5 billion all cash bid. Has the sale gone through, I don't know. How much Dave might have gotten of that? I don't know.

That's a good question. He did play his college ball at UND, and went from here to the CFL, and it's been rumored that he has been in talks with UND for over a year now about some type of football related donation. I tried finding his net worth on the internet much to no avail, he also wasn't on the list of richest Canadiens. To be honest, I'm not sure Mr. Fennel has the kind of capitol needed to be the Ralph Engelstad of UND football, but then again I have never met Mr. Fennel nor have I peaked at his portfolio. If he does, he does seem like a prime candidate for someone who would want his name permanently attached to UND football.

[bincitysioux]

The UND brass has definately been "wooing" Fennell.....................

He was back in Grand Forks two seasons ago and was the honorary captain for one of the home games. He's long been the subject of speculation as a source for an upcoming sizable donation to North Dakota football. My take is that if it happens, it will be more along the lines of making a significant dent into the cost of the $30 Million practice facility rather than a significant dent into a $200 Million+ rectractable roof football stadium.