Convention Center Committee Meeting - August 22, 2025

Present: Katlyn Balstad, Charley Johnson, Mallari Ackerman, Clare Hughes, Joe Raso, Kent Kolstad, Emma McIntyre, Denise Kolpack, Tim Mahoney, Dave Piepkorn.

Absent: Shannon Full, Taylor Snelling, John Strand, Michelle Turnberg.

Others Present: Jim Gilmour, Assistant City Attorney Erik Johnson (via video conference), Michael Redlinger, Susan Thompson.
Charley Johnson said the Committee is holding its first meeting to hear summaries of nine proposals for the new Convention Center. The presentations are scheduled for
15 - 20 minutes, with the focus on the project itself, including location and layout, and square footage for each element of the RFP. Financing is not the primary focus, he said; however, some discussion is expected. The presenters, he said, are asked to introduce their in-person and online team members.
Delta Hotel Proposal
The team represents the Delta Marriott application and acknowledges the Committee's hard work. The site is 8.2 acres and located minutes from West Acres. It has a "prime location" with 12 hotels within a mile and six within walking distance, totaling over 1,000 guest rooms. They state that 40% of the sales tax collected for the Convention Center comes from within walking distance of the Delta Marriott. The proposal includes a
full-service hotel that is already connected to the Convention Center. The proposed Convention and Conference space is 63,000 square feet, which includes breakouts and flexible layouts. The project would include approximately 30,000 contiguous square feet.
The team presented two scenarios for the building layout:
• Scenario A: Attached to the north wing of the hotel rooms with a parking garage for 400-500 vehicles.
• Scenario B: Connected to the existing 23,000 square-foot Crystal Ballroom, which has the ability to be fully integrated with the new Convention Center.
They suggest using a combination of the existing 6,000 square foot kitchen in the hotel and adding a new 4,000 square-foot kitchen for convention services. The team from National Hospitality Services (NHS), which has a national footprint of 44 hotels, would serve as the operating group. The estimated cost for a 40,000 square-foot facility is about $40 million, not including land costs, which would be covered by a land lease. The parking lot would be funded through paid parking, potentially using a TIF or another economic instrument requiring City cooperation. The design is intended to be architecturally consistent with the existing Delta and Crystal Ballroom, and will address traffic congestion with multiple points of access and exit.
Brewhalla Proposal
The Committee also heard a presentation on a site located on 31 acres in a central, infill location adjacent to downtown Fargo. The proposed building would stand alone but also include a 160-room hotel. The team believes the site could benefit from a TIF district, potentially generating $75-100 million for the City. The building design would incorporate natural light and a simple layout for easy operation.
Enclave Proposal
The final presentation of the day was from Enclave, who proposed a new Convention Center in Urban Plains. The site plan includes a park and a pedestrian field between Scheels Arena and the new building. They emphasized the flexibility of the building to host multiple, simultaneous events. They are confident they can build the project for $40 million and that the hotel component may require some form of financial assistance. They also propose to use existing infrastructure to create operational efficiencies, such as using excess heat from the ice plant to heat the Convention Center.
Mr. Johnson said Committee members will use Bonfire to score the proposals and include a reason for their scores. The individual scores, as well as the aggregate, he said, will be open to the public.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:45 p.m.