UND Memorial Stadium

[Laker]

I saw on Twitter that UND's Memorial Stadium has been torn down. I remember going there when MSU-Mankato played them in the D2 NCC days. What are they going to do with it now?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExN5lOcVIAAJuIE?format=jpg&name=large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExN5lOCVIAk77uG?format=jpg&name=large

[Laker]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExN5lOMVcAQvw9S?format=jpg&name=large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExN5lN0UUAMwXmP?format=jpg&name=large

[Laker]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExN2pkCXAAAqIjf?format=jpg&name=900x900

[100%GRIZ]

MSU-Mankato says it all!

[abc123]

The new development anticipated at the Memorial Stadium site is a mixed-use facility with apartments on the top four floors and office space on the main floor, with parking underneath the structure.
https://www.grandforksherald.com/incoming/6926487-jb1449-MemorialRender1.png/alternates/BASE_LANDSCAPE/MemorialRender1.png

It will be the building on the left side of the picture.
Phase 3 will the addition between the field and the existing High Performance Center on the right side of the picture

[POD Knows]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/incoming/6926487-jb1449-MemorialRender1.png/alternates/BASE_LANDSCAPE/MemorialRender1.png

It will be the building on the left side of the picture.
Phase 3 will the addition between the field and the existing High Performance Center on the right side of the pictureThat is pretty sweet, will those apartments be student housing only?

[abc123]

That is pretty sweet, will those apartments be student housing only?

That is the plan. Not sure if they are going to have preference for student athletes or not.
If you look to the top side of the football field, they are going to have a fully enclosed walkway all the way over to the High Performance Center.
Thie new building has allowed UND to scale back the fundraising need for Phase II of the HPC. Now they only need $20-25 million instead of what was believed to be around $40 million.
Will be a pretty solid combination of buildings once complete, plus the Ralph, Betty and then the Alerus Center, which is only used on game day.

[POD Knows]

That is the plan. Not sure if they are going to have preference for student athletes or not.
If you look to the top side of the football field, they are going to have a fully enclosed walkway all the way over to the High Performance Center.
Thie new building has allowed UND to scale back the fundraising need for Phase II of the HPC. Now they only need $20-25 million instead of what was believed to be around $40 million.
Will be a pretty solid combination of buildings once complete, plus the Ralph, Betty and then the Alerus Center, which is only used on game day.That walkway is a solid idea. But I have to state this or I would have to turn my Bison card in, the logo at the ends of that building make it look a little like a Holiday Inn Express. Put the black logo on the building like they have on the field

[Schism55]

Ugh I experienced some painful Bison losses there...in my mind it's been razed to the ground lol

[SDFS]

That is the plan. Not sure if they are going to have preference for student athletes or not.
If you look to the top side of the football field, they are going to have a fully enclosed walkway all the way over to the High Performance Center.
Thie new building has allowed UND to scale back the fundraising need for Phase II of the HPC. Now they only need $20-25 million instead of what was believed to be around $40 million.
Will be a pretty solid combination of buildings once complete, plus the Ralph, Betty and then the Alerus Center, which is only used on game day.

The reason they can scale back on what is now called Phase III is that the Memorial Village will house the coaches offices on the main floor along with other mixed use office space. Still very important to get Phase III done, but the Memorial Village project makes Phase III even more likely to happen. Once Phase III is done.. I think the only projects on the books will be Outdoor Track and Field, Softball and new practice only facility for VB and BB attached to the Betty. I would like to see an update to the Betty with more permanent seating when the attached practice facility is completed. Other than that not much left to do.. And at this point, all facilities are paid for at this time. I don't think the athletic department has any outstanding bonds. So, will the department use some portion of bonding/donations (original building of the Betty was completed with bonding via REA Inc - NOTE: all of this transfers over to UND in Sep 2030) to complete the updates. I like that idea but we will see and then to continue to use private donations to complete the softball and track and field updates. The school has made major updates to both academic and athletics buildings and is starting to look like a Division I school.

[Hammerhead]

I wonder if that walkway will be heated. The Microsoft campus on Fargo has unheated walkways between the buildings that I call gerbil tunnels since they are mostly walled with glass or clear plastic.


That walkway is a solid idea. But I have to state this or I would have to turn my Bison card in, the logo at the ends of that building make it look a little like a Holiday Inn Express. Put the black logo on the building like they have on the field

[nodak651]

I wonder if that walkway will be heated. The Microsoft campus on Fargo has unheated walkways between the buildings that I call gerbil tunnels since they are mostly walled with glass or clear plastic.

Ya gotta think wirsbo heating in the cement floor would be all it would really need, right? I have a heated floor on a 300 sq ft slab on grade room in my house, and I'm able to turn off all of the heating vents in that room and it stays warm.

I'm curious to see how UND's Finance reports to the NCAA change after UND takes control of the Ralph. The ralph currently takes in about 5 million in suite sales, concessions, and novelty sales that don't go back to UND. This is while the Ralph is still taking 52% of ticket sales as the facility fee.

[nodak651]

The reason they can scale back on what is now called Phase III is that the Memorial Village will house the coaches offices on the main floor along with other mixed use office space. Still very important to get Phase III done, but the Memorial Village project makes Phase III even more likely to happen. Once Phase III is done.. I think the only projects on the books will be Outdoor Track and Field, Softball and new practice only facility for VB and BB attached to the Betty. I would like to see an update to the Betty with more permanent seating when the attached practice facility is completed. Other than that not much left to do.. And at this point, all facilities are paid for at this time. I don't think the athletic department has any outstanding bonds. So, will the department use some portion of bonding/donations (original building of the Betty was completed with bonding via REA Inc - NOTE: all of this transfers over to UND in Sep 2030) to complete the updates. I like that idea but we will see and then to continue to use private donations to complete the softball and track and field updates. The school has made major updates to both academic and athletics buildings and is starting to look like a Division I school.

They also have a new field under a clear-span roof on the athletics master plan, just south of the high performance center, but I doubt they are serious about it. https://campus.und.edu/facilities-management/_files/docs/und-athletics-masterplan-0823.pdf

[Laker]

I'm curious to see how UND's Finance reports to the NCAA change after UND takes control of the Ralph. The ralph currently takes in about 5 million in suite sales, concessions, and novelty sales that don't go back to UND. This is while the Ralph is still taking 52% of ticket sales as the facility fee.

When is that scheduled to happen? What kind of deal does UND have with the Alerus?

[SDFS]

When is that scheduled to happen? What kind of deal does UND have with the Alerus?

I think these are the terms of a deal which was completed a couple of years ago. I believe that UND can enter into a different agreement at anytime should it be needed. Everything is transferred over to UND in Sep, 2030. As nodak51 noted it has never been very clear publicly how everything is reported in the various government financial reporting systems. Does it include everything or just what UND receives from REA Inc. The general consensus is that UND only reports what they receive. If this is true then the numbers reported by UND do not reflect the full picture.

One of the clear advantages of having a private/public relationship is that REA Inc. was able to use bonds to pay for the Betty (home of UND basketball and volleyball). By state law, colleges and universities can not use public bonds for athletic facilities. So, all of the building costs for the Betty was not on UND books and I believe that the final bond payment ($900K) was completed last year. I believe that the Memorial Village is another public/private venture and I believe that it is also part of a TIF with the City of Grand Forks. I am not sure what the terms of the relationship are but overall UND has had a good working relationship with the City of Grand Forks with the Alerus Center and now the Memorial Village.

[SDFS]

Here are the terms of the Alerus Center/UND deal:

- The center may increase the $24,000 per game payment by an amount no greater than the annual change to the consumer price index. UND could hold the spring football game at the center for $8,000.

- UND will share in profits from concessions, tailgating and parking. The share starts at 10 percent if attendance is less than 8,500. As attendance increases, so would the percentage, maxing out at 25 percent for attendance greater than 10,500. Maximum capacity for football is 13,500.

- UND may terminate the agreement if the NCAA requires more seating than is available at the center to maintain a Division I program and the center does not take necessary steps to meet these requirements.
UND now is at Division I-AA, which, unlike Division I-A, has no attendance requirements. Going up to Division I-A would require average attendance of 15,000 per game.

- The center will create "UND football-themed areas" with displays relating to the history of the program.

The center already has plans for a $665,600 facelift, most of which would heighten its identity as the home of UND football. Council members OK'd the spending with the condition the university OKs the 10-year lease.

- Either UND or the center may sell novelty items. The party doing the selling would get 75 percent of the profits, and the other party would get 25 percent.

- Profits from ticket sales will stay with UND, with the exception of tickets for 18 suites.

[Yote 53]

So can we officially lay to rest the retractable roof Memorial Stadium plans?

[abc123]

I think these are the terms of a deal which was completed a couple of years ago. I believe that UND can enter into a different agreement at anytime should it be needed. Everything is transferred over to UND in Sep, 2030. As nodak51 noted it has never been very clear publicly how everything is reported in the various government financial reporting systems. Does it include everything or just what UND receives from REA Inc. The general consensus is that UND only reports what they receive. If this is true then the numbers reported by UND do not reflect the full picture.

One of the clear advantages of having a private/public relationship is that REA Inc. was able to use bonds to pay for the Betty (home of UND basketball and volleyball). By state law, colleges and universities can not use public bonds for athletic facilities. So, all of the building costs for the Betty was not on UND books and I believe that the final bond payment ($900K) was completed last year. I believe that the Memorial Village is another public/private venture and I believe that it is also part of a TIF with the City of Grand Forks. I am not sure what the terms of the relationship are but overall UND has had a good working relationship with the City of Grand Forks with the Alerus Center and now the Memorial Village.

While I don't think the current setup is fully optimized for UND's benefit, I still would look at them to extend the agreement as 2030 gets closer. The flexibility that it provides is a major benefit for UND along with the other things the REA is able to do (destination games, hosting hockey regionals, etc). And not having to pay for the upkeep and maintenance on a $100 million building as it reaches 30 years old has to be appealing. I would hope UND would renegoiate some of the terms given they will have a bit of leverage. I think the net benefits to UND outweight some of the negatives and with some tweaking, could be even better.

[Hammersmith]

That is pretty sweet, will those apartments be student housing only?


That is the plan. Not sure if they are going to have preference for student athletes or not.
If you look to the top side of the football field, they are going to have a fully enclosed walkway all the way over to the High Performance Center.
Thie new building has allowed UND to scale back the fundraising need for Phase II of the HPC. Now they only need $20-25 million instead of what was believed to be around $40 million.
Will be a pretty solid combination of buildings once complete, plus the Ralph, Betty and then the Alerus Center, which is only used on game day.

Just want to correct the bit about student housing. The mixed-use building will be privately owned and operated. UND will be leasing space from the developer on the ground floor for their athletic offices. Any space left on the first floor, and the upper floors, will be rented out by the developer as they choose. I don't think the target market for the apartments has been released/decided yet. Will they be built as up-market units for professionals working in the UND area that don't want to own a house? Will they be built as upscale apartments aimed at students where the student basically leases their bed space(like The Bridges (https://bridgesnd.com/) at NDSU)? Or will it be more traditional apartments aimed at students? The jury is still out. If it's either of the last two cases, it's likely to be popular with UND student-athletes; though their rent money would go to the developer and not back to the university.

[SDFS]

Here are the terms of the Alerus Center/UND deal:

- The center may increase the $24,000 per game payment by an amount no greater than the annual change to the consumer price index. UND could hold the spring football game at the center for $8,000.

- UND will share in profits from concessions, tailgating and parking. The share starts at 10 percent if attendance is less than 8,500. As attendance increases, so would the percentage, maxing out at 25 percent for attendance greater than 10,500. Maximum capacity for football is 13,500.

- UND may terminate the agreement if the NCAA requires more seating than is available at the center to maintain a Division I program and the center does not take necessary steps to meet these requirements.
UND now is at Division I-AA, which, unlike Division I-A, has no attendance requirements. Going up to Division I-A would require average attendance of 15,000 per game.

- The center will create "UND football-themed areas" with displays relating to the history of the program.

The center already has plans for a $665,600 facelift, most of which would heighten its identity as the home of UND football. Council members OK'd the spending with the condition the university OKs the 10-year lease.

- Either UND or the center may sell novelty items. The party doing the selling would get 75 percent of the profits, and the other party would get 25 percent.

- Profits from ticket sales will stay with UND, with the exception of tickets for 18 suites.


It appears that I missed an updated contract from Feb of this year. Here are the new terms: the Alerus Center has finalized a new ten-and-a-half year agreement with the University of North Dakota for Fighting Hawks football.

- It calls for UND to capture the bulk of the ticket revenue in exchange for paying $42,000 dollars in rent per game when there are 10,501 tickets sold – and $32,000 dollars for smaller crowds. UND and the Alerus Center will share concession revenues.

- The university will also make a one-time $400,000 dollar license fee payment.

- On the flip side the Alerus will pay UND $25,000 dollars a year to offset lost revenues due to building exclusivity rights.

- The Alerus will also foot the bill for the new turf that was installed over the summer. That cost will be offset in part by field logo advertising.

My guess is the License Payment is for the branding of UND Football on the outside of the building and a new "Hawk" logo in the center of the field.

Alerus and UND sign new ten year football agreement | KNOX News Radio, Local News, Weather and Sports (knoxradio.com) (https://knoxradio.com/2021/02/03/alerus-and-und-sign-new-ten-year-football-agreement/)