Facilities Master Plan

[Rick]

The words "skyway to nowhere" just popped into my head for some reason ....

Hopefully Associate Director of Facilities Rick Tonder will announce where that skyway to nowhere is going to in the near future so The Sicatoka can get some sleep.

[The Sicatoka]

Hopefully Associate Director of Facilities Rick Tonder will announce where that skyway to nowhere is going to in the near future so The Sicatoka can get some sleep.

Like I told Don Henley after I appeared in a cloud of smoke, " ... I sleep very well at night."

[The Sicatoka]

D-1 transition may involve arena alterations

This whole concept just keeps reappearing for some reason ....

[bincitysioux]

I posted this in another thread, but it should probably go here too.......

IAC

Alerus Contract: Athletics is negotiating a new contract with the Alerus Center. Areas to be considered are additional practice time and contingencies for the future move to DI.

I've always thought that the Alerus should be made more available to UND as a practice facility for not only football, but for other sports like baseball, softball, and track & field....................and Lacrosse??!! If it had field turf, it could be used for soccer, too. UND is key to the potential profitability of the Alerus. The main arena is not that busy throughout the year, why not make it available to UND for a variety of things? At higher rental price of course than it pays currently just for football games. It seems like utilizing this great space would be better (for both UND and the city of Grand Forks) than the talk of abandoning this fantastic 6-year old facility for building an outdoor football stadium (let's at least come close to selling out the Alerus consistently before we seriously consider that), an indoor football practice facility, a soccer field, a T&F facility, etc. I think the Alerus is great. Let's use it. Knowing its history, I'm sure the city is willing to work with UND.

[Bison Dan]

I posted this in another thread, but it should probably go here too.......

IAC

I've always thought that the Alerus should be made more available to UND as a practice facility for not only football, but for other sports like baseball, softball, and track & field....................and Lacrosse??!! If it had field turf, it could be used for soccer, too. UND is key to the potential profitability of the Alerus. The main arena is not that busy throughout the year, why not make it available to UND for a variety of things? At higher rental price of course than it pays currently just for football games. It seems like utilizing this great space would be better (for both UND and the city of Grand Forks) than the talk of abandoning this fantastic 6-year old facility for building an outdoor football stadium (let's at least come close to selling out the Alerus consistently before we seriously consider that), an indoor football practice facility, a soccer field, a T&F facility, etc. I think the Alerus is great. Let's use it. Knowing its history, I'm sure the city is willing to work with UND.

Field Turf, expanding the Alerus. Great, just one question - where's the money going to come from?

[MplsBison]

I don't quite understand the perceived need to expand the Alerus.

There are no minimum seating requirements for FCS.

It seats 13k?

And 5k came for the playoff game last season?

[UND92,96]

I don't quite understand the perceived need to expand the Alerus.

There are no minimum seating requirements for FCS.

It seats 13k?

And 5k came for the playoff game last season?

That playoff game attendance vs. Winona State is a non-issue. Early round playoff games rarely draw well, particularly when you factor in that it was against a team that you had beaten badly earlier in the season. The playoffs sometimes are a different animal when it comes to attendance, due to short times in which to sell tickets, holidays, unattractive matchups, weather (for travel), etc. Look at Grand Valley State as an example. They averaged 11,800 during the regular season, but only 4500 for three playoff games. I don't necessarily think the Alerus needs to expand its seating, but it has nothing to do with past playoff attendance.

[PartTime]

I don't quite understand the perceived need to expand the Alerus.

There are no minimum seating requirements for FCS.

It seats 13k?

And 5k came for the playoff game last season?

NDSU fans continually throwing it in our faces about the 5,000+ attendance at the UND/Winona State playoff game is really getting old. I know why you do it, everybody does, but like I said, it's getting old. The reasons why the attendance was low for the game has been explained/covered, so there is no reason for me to do it again and just repeat/echo earlier responses.

[PartTime]

This whole concept just keeps reappearing for some reason ....

Gershman, however, was more concerned.

"Obviously I would hope that arrangements can be made for football to stay. One of the bigger reasons for building the Alerus in the first place was for UND football," he said.

I found this comment by Mr. Gershman a little humorous considering back in the days when the Alerus Center was voted on and approved, he (not long after) proposed downsizing on the arena to cut costs...............it didn't fly.

One of the problems with the Alerus Center (besides the number of seats which I have commented on in previous threads) is that the design of the building doesn't leave much room for expansion. Granted, I am no engineer, but I would think trying to expand the Alerus would be a major project, either that or some pretty creative engineering. I know arguments now are that UND isn't filling the place for every game now, I agree (even though I take some issue with game attendance and how it is counted). But I truely feel going D-I, attendance will go up. If I may use NDSU as an example, D-2 they were averaging 10,000+ at the Fargodome, last year they averaged 16,000+. I'm not saying UND's attendance will jump up 6,000 people right away like NDSU's, but I believe it will jump.

[MplsBison]

You guys had 9-10k for last season's average.

I suppose adding 3k more per home game isn't that much of a stretch.

[The Sicatoka]

And 5k came for the playoff game last season?

(You just make it so darn easy ...)

That is 5000 more than have ever seen an NDSU football playoff game in their dome .....

[The Sicatoka]

One of the problems with the Alerus Center (besides the number of seats which I have commented on in previous threads) is that the design of the building doesn't leave much room for expansion.

The only direction I could imagine would be adding on a south end section. But even that would pose some "interesting" design and engineering challenges to get the number of seats to make the cost worth the effort.

North is out of the question (Canad); east would mean rebuilding the main lobby and concourse to Canad (cost); west might be possible but there really isn't a lot of space when you start to consider I-29 being there.

[MplsBison]

That is 5000 more than have ever seen an NDSU football playoff game in their dome .....

We'll be hosting a couple games in 2008.

Come check it out.

[The Sicatoka]

We'll be hosting a couple games in 2008.

Come check it out.

So how many chickens ya-figure you're gonna get out of that big-ol' basket of eggs ....

[biff]

UND football moving out of the Alerus anytime soon is about as crazy as some SU fans that think they need a 30000 seat ourdoor staduim.

[NanoBison]

UND football moving out of the Alerus anytime soon is about as crazy as some SU fans that think they need a 30000 seat ourdoor staduim.

Or about as crazy as UND thinking they'll establish a $500 million endowment in a few short years.

(I'm sorry, there weren't any clever Smiley's that held their breath)

[PCM]

Or about as crazy as UND thinking they'll establish a $500 million endowment in a few short years.

(I'm sorry, there weren't any clever Smiley's that held their breath)

This one perfectly fits your post.

[NanoBison]

This one perfectly fits your post.

Oh oh oh oh let me try that....

<- PCM

<- Nano

[star2city]

Or about as crazy as UND thinking they'll establish a $500 million endowment in a few short years.

(I'm sorry, there weren't any clever Smiley's that held their breath)

Hmm, seems a $500 million endowment and a donated UND outdoor stadium make Bison fans nervous.

Perhaps you have more information than Kupchella and O'Keefe?

A few years ago, conventional wisdom also said:

-Grand Forks and UND would never recover from the 97 flood.

-UND would never go DI.

[MplsBison]

If a bunch of rich alumni want to give UND hundreds of millions, that's great for the state of ND.

There's nothing NDSU can do about it other than do our best to compete and beat them.

[aff]

Hmm, seems a $500 million endowment and a donated UND outdoor stadium make Bison fans nervous.

Perhaps you have more information than Kupchella and O'Keefe?

A few years ago, conventional wisdom also said:

-Grand Forks and UND would never recover from the 97 flood.

-UND would never go DI.

You must be talking about the guys who said that a move to D-I was going to cost an extra 1 million a year a couple months ago....?

I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist posting that.

[NanoBison]

star2city, I'll just come out and say it, since you accuse Bison fans of being "nervous" of UND's goals.

The only thing that makes me nervous about UND, is if they are unable to successfully fund their DI move, that the state (and taxpayers) will in some form have to "pick up the tab".

[star2city]

star2city, I'll just come out and say it, since you accuse Bison fans of being "nervous" of UND's goals.

The only thing that makes me nervous about UND, is if they are unable to successfully fund their DI move, that the state (and taxpayers) will in some form have to "pick up the tab".

Five years ago, there were big plans in Fargo for facility upgrades. Nothing has happened, except Chapman's attempted play on Fargo taxpayer dollars in the Fargodome till. NDSU has not even raised enough money for the BSA upgrades. There have also been rumblings that NDSU athletics has to scrounge around with their bigger donors at the end of the fiscal years to keep their books balanced. Seems your nervousness should be directed inward.

You can criticize Kupchella all you want, but he wanted assurances from the athletic department and alumni foundation that finances (i.e. athletic endowment) would be there for a DI move. I believe there are a number of reasons to believe that the finances (from multiple sources) will be there.

[NanoBison]

Five years ago, there were big plans in Fargo for facility upgrades. Nothing has happened, except Chapman's attempted play on Fargo taxpayer dollars in the Fargodome till. NDSU has not even raised enough money for the BSA upgrades. There have also been rumblings that NDSU athletics has to scrounge around with their bigger donors at the end of the fiscal years to keep their books balanced. Seems your nervousness should be directed inward.

You can criticize Kupchella all you want, but he wanted assurances from the athletic department and alumni foundation that finances (i.e. athletic endowment) would be there for a DI move. I believe there are a number of reasons to believe that the finances (from multiple sources) will be there.

Oh ok, you've turned the tables on me, now apparently it's if NDSU can manage the move to DI. Yes, we just seem to be absolutely miserable right now. Conferences for ALL sports, increased attendance, easier scheduling, plans for several expansions of athletic facilities. Rumblings? What the heck are you talking about? That's as stupid as me saying "there's rumblings that UND athletics is barely scraping by financially as it currently is, in fact they have to cook the books to just get barely in the black." If you're going to say something like that, at least back it up, and don't tell me about how one year the athletics budget was saved by an anonymous ~$45,000 donation right at the last minute. I've already heard that one and it's nothing big.

On terms of criticizing Kupchella. I haven't done so in this post. You put those words in my mouth. I will say one thing though. I'm terribly said to see him go. He did such a wonderful job of holding back UND and has allowed (get ready... here the can of worms getting opened...) NDSU to come out on top.

Fire away!

star2city -> <- NanoBison

[biff]

Hmm, seems a $500 million endowment and a donated UND outdoor stadium make Bison fans nervous.

Perhaps you have more information than Kupchella and O'Keefe?

Nervous of what? Are they planning on buying 30000 people to put in the stands games with the 500 million? (there's the smiley)