Menu

FARGODOME Authority

Boards, Commissions & Committees

FARGODOME Authority - May 30, 2017 Minutes

A regular meeting of the Fargo Dome Authority was held on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. in the FARGODOME Conference Room with President David Suppes presiding.

Members present: President David Suppes, Blake Nelson, Darrell Vanyo, Nancy Jordheim, Dan Armbrust and Michael Ellingson.

Members absent: Troy Goergen.

Others present: Susan Thompson, Director of Finance – FARGODOME; Bernie Larson, Assistant General Manager – FARGODOME; Amanda Muellenbach, Administrative and Auxiliary Services Manager - FARGODOME and Rob Sobolik, General Manager – FARGODOME.

Media present: None

President David Suppes called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

Rob requested to add an Update on Spectra, Expansion Discussion, Capital Re-allocation Request, Meeting Time Change Discussion and Parking Discussion to the agenda under additional items.

Nancy Jordheim made a motion, seconded by Blake Nelson, to approve the agenda of the May 30, 2017 Fargo Dome Authority meeting. Motion carried.

Darrell Vanyo made a motion, seconded by Michael Ellingson, to approve the minutes from the May 2, 2017 Fargo Dome Authority meeting. Motion carried.

Rob welcomed Dan Armbrust to the Fargo Dome Authority.

Rob Sobolik presented the General Manager’s report as follows:

  • Year-to-Date Net Income through April 2017 is stated at $519,999 which is a positive variance (to budget) of $82,257.
  • Upon review, Blake Nelson made a motion, seconded by Dan Armbrust, to approve the April 2017 financial statements as presented.
    On call of the roll, Armbrust, Ellingson, Jordheim, Nelson, Suppes and Vanyo voted aye.
    Absent and not voting: Goergen.
    The motion was declared carried.
  • Past Events: NDSU Spring Commencement on May 13
  • Upcoming Events: Fargo HS Graduations on June 4, 2017. Happy Harry’s RibFest on June 7-10, 2017. NDSU Youth Football Camp on June 13-15, 2017. NDSU Football Team Camp on June 17-19, 2017. NDSU Football Individual Camp on June 23-25, 2017.
  • Comments on Past Events: Nothing to report.

Blake Nelson presented the Fargo Dome Authority Finance Committee report. The Fargo Dome Authority Finance Committee met on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. Items discussed included:

  • Discussion of HVS Convention Center Presentation: The committee had a general discussion regarding the HVS Convention Center Presentation that was given earlier that morning. All of the reports related to the convention center study would be distributed to the Authority, City Commission and other City officials within the next week. The Authority will most likely set up a joint meeting with the City Commission in the upcoming months to keep conversations on the potential convention center moving forward. It was noted that the financing models from the original study in 2014 would need to be updated. This item will be further discussed at upcoming meetings.
  • April 2017 Financial Statements: The April 2017 Financial Statements were approved by the Finance Committee at the meeting on May 24, 2017.
  • Fiber RFP: Rob noted that replacing the fiber runs has been approved in the capital budget. FARGODOME also sent out an RFP as per the City’s request for a competitive bid process and received one response back. Data Technologies bid $66,205. The Finance Committee accepted a motion to approve the bid from Data Technologies for $66,205.
  • Dressing Room Furniture: Susan noted that replacing dressing room furniture has been approved in the capital budget. In order to comply with the City’s request for a competitive bid process, Susan asked the committee for approval of up to $30,000 for dressing room furniture using a competitively procured national contract process. The Finance Committee accepted a motion to approved using a competitively procured national contract to purchase up to $30,000 in dressing room furniture.
  • Project Updates:
    • Economic Impact Study: Rob noted that the last Economic Impact Study for the FARGODOME was completed in 2002-2003. Rob would like to have an updated study completed and to be paid for by reallocating $55,151 in remaining funds from the existing Air Pressurization Project. If approved, Rob will define the scope of the study and send out an RFP. The Finance Committee accepted a motion to approved reallocating $55,151 in remaining funds from the Air Pressurization Project to updating the Economic Impact Study.
  • Video Board Project: Final payment to 4 of the 5 vendors for the video board project have gone out. The project is estimated to come in under budget. Rob would like to use the remaining funds from the video board project to replace the neon lighting on the main FARGODOME sign on the east side of the building with LED lights. Rob will be sending out an RFP for this project. This item will be further discussed at upcoming meetings.
  • Handicap Seating Expansion: Rob noted that the handicap seating expansion project in the NE and SW corners is nearing completion. The committee had a general discussion on expanding wheelchair accessible seating in the NW and SE corners before the 2018 NDSU Football season. This item will be further discussed at upcoming meetings.

The Authority continued discussion on the potential expansion. Rob noted that all reports related to the potential expansion as well as the reports on a potential
Performing Arts Center, have been distributed to the Authority and will be distributed to City Officials. It was suggested that David Suppes reach out to Mayor Mahoney or Bruce Grubb to set up a joint meeting between the Authority and City Officials to keep the momentum of the potential projects moving forward.

Blake Nelson made a motion to approve the Finance Committee report as presented.

On call of the roll, Armbrust, Ellingson, Jordheim, Nelson, Suppes and Vanyo voted aye.

Absent and not voting: Goergen.

The motion was declared carried.

Discussion of Sub-Committees and Appointments: David Suppes appointed the
following committee members and chairs for 2017-2018:

  • Finance Committee: Blake Nelson (chair), David Suppes and Dan Armbrust.
  • Building Committee: Troy Goergen (chair), Nancy Jordheim, Darrell Vanyo and Michael Ellingson.

    Mike Ellingson made a motion, seconded by Nancy Jordheim, to approve the committee appointments and chairs for 2017-2018 as presented.

    On call of the roll, Armbrust, Ellingson, Jordheim, Nelson, Suppes and Vanyo
    voted aye.

    Absent and not voting: Goergen.

    The motion was declared carried.
  • The Authority had further discussion regarding the possibility of combining the Building and Finance Committees. Rob will send out the bylaws for the Authority to review and change/update as needed. This items will be revisited at upcoming meetings.

Additional Items:
Update on Spectra: Rob noted that the Alerus Center is in the process of negotiating a Management contract for Spectra to oversee their facility. Currently, FARGODOME has three contracts in place with Spectra, including a Food & Beverage/Concessions Agreement and expires December 31, 2018, a Ticketing Agreement that expires December 31, 2020 and a Consulting Agreement that expires June 30, 2017. The Authority will not renew the Consulting Agreement that expires next month. Rob noted that he has been in contact with Frank Russo from Spectra, and Spectra intends to maintain the Food & Beverage and Ticketing agreements with FARGODOME while continuing to peruse the Management Agreement with the Alerus Center.

The Authority had a general discussion regarding the potential impact of Spectra managing the Alerus Center while having Ticketing and Food & Beverage agreements with the
FARGODOME. This item will be further discussed at upcoming meetings. Expansion Discussion: Rob noted that installing walk-through metal detectors was part
of the 2017 Capital Budget. FARGODOME is in the process of testing demo units on the East and West entrances of the building. Rob noted that there may be a need to
expand the west side vestibule space to better accommodate the metal detectors as the goal is to get people inside the first set of doors and through the metal detectors before
they have entered the arena. An expansion to the west side of the building would create more vestibule space, increase the men’s and women’s restrooms on the west side and
enclose the front of the ticket office on the west side so it would be indoors. The expansion could go even further to provide more circulation space on the concourse
and a club area on the mezzanine level. This item will be further discussed at upcoming meetings.

Capital Reallocation Request: Rob stated that the mixing valves in the building need to be replaced. The building has already changed over 2 valves to test them and they are
working. Rob requested to reallocate $6,500 from the 2016 Budgeted Unallocated Line Item to create a project to replace the mixing valves. Dan Armbrust made a motion, seconded by Blake Nelson, to approve the reallocation of $6,500 from the 2016 Budgeted Unallocated account to the Mixing Valve Replacement Project.

On call of the roll, Armbrust, Ellingson, Jordheim, Nelson, Suppes and Vanyo voted aye.

Absent and not voting: Goergen.

The motion was declared carried.

Meeting Time Change: The Authority had a brief discussion regarding the possibility of changing the time of the Fargo Dome Authority meetings to 3:00 p.m. This items will be revisited at the next meeting.

Parking Discussion: The Fargo VA reached out to Rob requesting more information on the possibility of using 80 parking spots at the FARGODOME. Since the initial request, the VA has sent out an RFI for 80 parking spaces with the stipulation that if the parking area was more than 3 blocks away from the VA, the vendor would also need to provide shuttle service. Rob does not plan to respond to the RFI. Upon further discussion, Rob asked if the Authority would be willing to negotiating a rate of $80 per spot per year with the spaces being available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. if the VA comes back with their initial request for 80 parking spaces and no shuttle service. The Authority was agreeable to the terms Rob suggested.

The next Fargo Dome Authority meeting will be on June 27, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:22 p.m.