Western Domes

[Sycamore51]

A thread got started on the Indiana State forum about a new stadium, which got me looking at stadiums. There are several domes in the FCS, which is the best and which is the worst?

[FargoBison]

The best is probably the Fargodome(yes UNI fans we know it isn't a real dome) and the worst has to be Holt Arena.

UNI has a solid dome, nothing fancy but loud. UND's is loud and kind of small(very low roof). USD's is kind of like UNI's except it is in deseperate need of an extreme makeover, I believe one side has wooden roll out bleachers. I don't know a lot about NAU's dome, it looks nice.

[JSU02]

I'm sure some GA ST fans will chime in saying "their" dome is the best.xlolx

[Sycamore51]

I'm sure some GA ST fans will chime in saying "their" dome is the best.xlolx Their dome isn't their dome! It's like saying the Titans play their home games in TSU's stadium!

[Jacked_Rabbit]

I've been to each of the following domes, USD, UNI, NDSU, & NAU, and have played in all of them besides NAU's in Flag. This is how I rank 'em:

1. Fargo Dome - Largest & newest, loud, but a HORRIBLE surfuce. Time to retire the carpet, Bison.
2. UNI Dome - This one seems the most Dome-ish, if that makes any sense...
3. NAU Skydome - Looks cool from the outside, but not that sweet inside. Decent, nonetheless.
4. USD Dakota Dome - Smallest of the four; in need of major renovation.

[Big Al]

The best is probably the Fargodome(yes UNI fans we know it isn't a real dome) and the worst has to be Holt Arena.

UNI has a solid dome, nothing fancy but loud. UND's is loud and kind of small(very low roof). USD's is kind of like UNI's except it is in deseperate need of an extreme makeover, I believe one side has wooden roll out bleachers. I don't know a lot about NAU's dome, it looks nice.

NAU's is kind of neat because it's a geodesic timber structure.

Unless you can get the city of Terre Haute to fork over the coin for a multi-use convention center like the Alerus Center or the FargoShed, I don't think it's a worthwhile pursuit. A roofed facility is incredibly expensive to build and operate and if you're just playing football, it's hard to make the numbers work. They don't make great basketball arenas (see Syracuse's Carrier Dome).

You could get a great football field in the $15-20 million range, which is about a sixth of the cost for an indoor facility. Indiana does not get the same severe weather that UNI and the Dakotas get, so I don't think there's a pressing need to go indoors for the Sycs. Just keep winning and people will come.

[Sycamore51]

NAU's is kind of neat because it's a geodesic timber structure.

Unless you can get the city of Terre Haute to fork over the coin for a multi-use convention center like the Alerus Center or the FargoShed, I don't think it's a worthwhile pursuit. A roofed facility is incredibly expensive to build and operate and if you're just playing football, it's hard to make the numbers work. They don't make great basketball arenas (see Syracuse's Carrier Dome).

You could get a great football field in the $15-20 million range, which is about a sixth of the cost for an indoor facility. Indiana does not get the same severe weather that UNI and the Dakotas get, so I don't think there's a pressing need to go indoors for the Sycs. Just keep winning and people will come.
None of us want to go inside, weather's not a huge issue. I just noticed that there were more domes than I thought and wondered how they stacked up against each other.

[ST_Lawson]

The only one I've been to is UNI. It could use a "fresh coat of paint" on the outside, but it's pretty nice on the inside.

I agree with Big Al, unless you've got a weather-related need for an indoor stadium, or a great deal of community support (and money), I think a nice outdoor stadium would be a better option.

I'm not familiar with Indiana St.'s campus. Are there any good locations for an on-campus stadium? I've always preferred stadiums that are on, or very close to campus personally.

[JSU02]

Their dome isn't their dome! It's like saying the Titans play their home games in TSU's stadium!

I agree, but some feel its just as much theirs as it is the Falcons.

[IaaScribe]

Big Al ... you're right. They make awful basketball arenas. I covered a lot of Northern Arizona basketball during my time in Flag, and even when they could get 5,000 people in the Skydome, all of the sound was just lost because of the amount of open space in the dome. Also, it makes for a weird shooting environment. I really liked when Idaho State went back into Reed Gym ... at least ISU did a nice job of making Holt feel like less of a dome for basketball with a lot of black curtains and by dimming the lights in the rest of the facility.

[darell1976]

The only downfalls I see for the Fargodome is the steps walking up are very steep and also parking which i suppose is bad at some stadiums. Good thing I am within walking distance to the Fargodome. The Alerus is smaller, looks like an airplane hanger on the outside. Parking is bad there too. But overall I would rate it second to the Fargodome. I heard the Dakota Dome isn't that great.

[Big Al]

I agree, but some feel its just as much theirs as it is the Falcons.

Well, I can see where they'd get really, really attached to it after half a season.

[mksioux]

The only downfalls I see for the Fargodome is the steps walking up are very steep and also parking which i suppose is bad at some stadiums. Good thing I am within walking distance to the Fargodome. The Alerus is smaller, looks like an airplane hanger on the outside. Parking is bad there too. But overall I would rate it second to the Fargodome. I heard the Dakota Dome isn't that great.
I'm not sure why you say parking is bad at the Alerus Center. There is a huge parking lot right next to the facility with plenty of capacity. And there is plenty of space for tailgating.

I've only been the Fargodome and Alerus Center. Both are nice. Fargodome is bigger and has seating in the end zones. Alerus Center is smaller and has no seats in the end zone. Alerus is a little newer. I think they have about the same amount of bells and whistles. Alerus has a lower roof, which makes it noisy when there are good sized crowds. Both Fargodome and Alerus need new turf. Alerus Center serves beer and mixed drinks, which you can bring right to your seat.

[MNBISON]

The only downfalls I see for the Fargodome is the steps walking up are very steep and also parking which i suppose is bad at some stadiums. Good thing I am within walking distance to the Fargodome. The Alerus is smaller, looks like an airplane hanger on the outside. Parking is bad there too. But overall I would rate it second to the Fargodome. I heard the Dakota Dome isn't that great.

Hit the gym Darell and the walk wouldn't be so bad.:D What's wrong with the parking? I've heard cheap people complain about having to pay for parking but that's common in Fargo, you mean we have to PAY for something! Yeah, it can suck after the game, but tell me another stadium where you can get 15-19k people out without some traffic issues.

[GaSouthern]

Hey now, the east coast has domes too, ETSU had a dome when they were still a football SoCon member.

[bincitysioux]

I've only been to the Alerus, Fargodome, and Dakotadome.

I would rate them, as neutrally as possible of course:

1. Fargodome--Simply because it is the largest, and has endzone seating.

2. Alerus--Definately the loudest

3. DakotaDome--It is all around icky. But provides a good atmosphere.

The playing surface sucks in all three...........

Amenity-wise, the Alerus & Fargodome are equal, the Alerus is just a little smaller.

Never been there, but ISU's Holt Arena has to be the worst. Looks like the quonset I store my tractors in, both inside and out. I bet if ISU got good again though, it would provide a great atmosphere.

The Alerus is getting new turf next year......................it better not be astro-turf.

[eagle1]

I have been to NAU, ISU, UI (FBS), and UNI. I personally think that UNI followed closely by NAU are the two best. The worst by far ISU. I will eventually get to see UND's since they are joining the Sky in 2012. Go Eagles!!!

[chattanoogamocs]

Hey now, the east coast has domes too, ETSU had a dome when they were still a football SoCon member.

And it was, with out a doubt, the worst of all the domes...they didn't called it the "Mini Dump" for nothing.

Sad thing is, they still have to play basketball there. God, it is awful...I almost feel sorry for them.

Nah, I don't. :)

[bkrownd]

Is anybody working on a small dome design with retractable roof that isn't outrageously expensive?

I once got hailed on at an Air Force Academy game. Ouch.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

And it was, with out a doubt, the worst of all the domes...they didn't called it the "Mini Dump" for nothing.

Sad thing is, they still have to play basketball there. God, it is awful...I almost feel sorry for them.

Nah, I don't. :)

^this

[darell1976]

Hit the gym Darell and the walk wouldn't be so bad.:D What's wrong with the parking? I've heard cheap people complain about having to pay for parking but that's common in Fargo, you mean we have to PAY for something! Yeah, it can suck after the game, but tell me another stadium where you can get 15-19k people out without some traffic issues.

I didn't mean pay for parking I mean actual parking spots. Its bad enough when it overflows into the USBank/CVS Parking lot and you have people risking their life crossing 19th Ave. they should have cleared a lot more land to the west up to the Candlewood Suites and make a parking lot. Both Alerus and Fargodome have pay parking I am used to that. Thats why its nice to walk to the event if its nice out.

[darell1976]

I'm not sure why you say parking is bad at the Alerus Center. There is a huge parking lot right next to the facility with plenty of capacity. And there is plenty of space for tailgating.

I've only been the Fargodome and Alerus Center. Both are nice. Fargodome is bigger and has seating in the end zones. Alerus Center is smaller and has no seats in the end zone. Alerus is a little newer. I think they have about the same amount of bells and whistles. Alerus has a lower roof, which makes it noisy when there are good sized crowds. Both Fargodome and Alerus need new turf. Alerus Center serves beer and mixed drinks, which you can bring right to your seat.

Parking isn't bad when only 6000 people show up but when there is over 10,000 when I was there when the Alerus opened in 2001 parking wasn't great. Did they add more spots since then? Also I see a lot of people standing above where the endzones are so seating would have been nice there instead of a big walkway.

[ebirToG]

Hey now, the east coast has domes too, ETSU had a dome when they were still a football SoCon member.

I played in there in the late 80's (William and Mary) worst place to play a game ever!!!!!!!!! Our kicker/punter Steve Christie kept hitting the roof - the turf was just strips they laid out over a hard floor - fans literaly right over your head pouring things on you the entire time.

Wow that sucked!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Big Al ... you're right. They make awful basketball arenas. I covered a lot of Northern Arizona basketball during my time in Flag, and even when they could get 5,000 people in the Skydome, all of the sound was just lost because of the amount of open space in the dome. Also, it makes for a weird shooting environment. I really liked when Idaho State went back into Reed Gym ... at least ISU did a nice job of making Holt feel like less of a dome for basketball with a lot of black curtains and by dimming the lights in the rest of the facility.

Worthy of mention is that I've been to a b-ball game at Syracuse, and they do something similar with the curtains, etc. It was a while ago, but I distinctly remember thinking that it was way better to watch the game at home on TV, since you're so far away from the action. I vastly prefer basketball having its own indoor arena.

[PantherRob82]

I've been to the UNI-Dome, Dakota Dome and Fargo Dome.

FargoDome: Too dark, needs new turf
UNI-Dome: Not sure what I'd change. Maybe the seats?
Dakota Dome: Really wasn't as bad as people say. Maybe they've made some recent upgrades, but I liked it better than the FargoDome. Also need new turf.

[UNI Pike]

UNIDOME needs to figure out how to add more women's bathrooms and concession space.

And fix the %*(@($&&^ sound system.

[Dane96]

NAU's is kind of neat because it's a geodesic timber structure.

Unless you can get the city of Terre Haute to fork over the coin for a multi-use convention center like the Alerus Center or the FargoShed, I don't think it's a worthwhile pursuit. A roofed facility is incredibly expensive to build and operate and if you're just playing football, it's hard to make the numbers work. They don't make great basketball arenas (see Syracuse's Carrier Dome).

You could get a great football field in the $15-20 million range, which is about a sixth of the cost for an indoor facility. Indiana does not get the same severe weather that UNI and the Dakotas get, so I don't think there's a pressing need to go indoors for the Sycs. Just keep winning and people will come.

As someone who has played and coached in the Carrier Dome...I beg to differ. It is a great hoops home court advantage...and a great facility to watch games in.