(Screenshot from Facebook Grand Forks)
GRAND FORKS – Board members provide their comments on costs and economic impact for a potential multi-use indoor sports facility and indoor water sports center.
During board meetings with members of the Grand Forks Parks Board Commission, consultants presented information on community input, site location plans, and facility costs.
BarryDunn/GreenPlay was hired by the Grand Forks Park District in April to complete a feasibility study of a future multi-use indoor sports facility and indoor water sports center in Grand Forks. Indoor multi-use sports facility that will potentially host competitive games with facilities such as grass courts for soccer, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, softball, and similar sports; running track; courts for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and similar sports. Indoor water facilities will have competitive swimming and diving pools, lap pools, and other features.
The Park District began exploring potential facilities based on community needs, said George Hellyer, executive director.
Within the city, indoor swimming pools are limited. There is an indoor pool at Choice Health and Fitness and YMCA. The Hyslop Sports Center at UND also has a pool, but the building is proposed to close in the coming years. Hellyer said the Park District had also been hearing from the community and stakeholders about the need for a lawn facility for years.
“The winters are long in Grand Forks and the summers are short. It will be an opportunity to provide year-round training and regional tournaments and other possibilities for the Grand Forks kids,” said Hellyer.
While the concept of a single facility combining the turf and aquatic centers together was looked at from early feasibility studies, Zack Bisek with BRS Architects said separating them into two facilities was determined to be the best option.
Several locations were considered for both facilities, including Choice Health and Fitness and the UND campus for a water sports center. Choice Health and Fitness is also considered a site for a lawn facility, as well as the Columbia Mall and nearby Alerus Center.
Board members received preferred concept previews for both facilities as identified in the feasibility study. Choice Health and Fitness was proposed as the preferred location for the water sports center and the Alerus Center was proposed as the preferred location for the lawn facility.
For indoor sports facility location options at Alerus Center locations, pricing is subject to whether the golf salesperson will be included. If golf vendors are included, the total project cost is estimated at over $101 million. If the vendor is not included in the facility, the total cost is estimated at $103 million. The water sports center on the Choice Health and Fitness website is estimated to cost $37 million.
The project costs for both factors factor in inflation for the estimated construction date of 2025.
The consultants gather community feedback through face-to-face focus groups, stakeholder interviews, online feedback and public surveys. An online public opinion poll conducted via Social Pinpoint asked residents whether they believed the city needed an indoor multi-use sports facility, a water sports center, or both. The majority of respondents said the city needed both the sports facilities and the water sports center to be combined into one building, or if there were two separate facilities.
In addition, the consultant sent out a total of 8,500 residents inviting them to take an online survey seeking feedback on potential facilities. Of the 1,108 survey responses, more than half felt that it was very important or very important to develop a community center with indoor grass, courts, or an indoor competitive pool. About 79% of invitee respondents said they might or would definitely support expanding the Alerus Center sales tax to support the facility.
Pat O’Toole, a manager at BerryDunn, said while more than half of respondents said they supported expanding the sales tax, that didn’t mean those people would vote for expanding the tax, which would have to go through a citywide vote.
“I always tell people they are not the same people who are going to the polls. This is good news, but I still think you need to be aggressive as if this number is not this high,” he said.
Funding scenarios for the facility include the possibility of extending the Alerus Center sales tax of 0.75% for 30 years. The sales tax has resulted in approximately $10 million in collections to serve debt service and capital requirements at the Alerus Center. Additional funding options include personal fundraising, bonding, and other income funding.
Fund Council President Sande said the funding needs for the facilities were extensive and voiced concern about how the Park District would fund them.
“I’m not against it, it’s just a lot of money,” said Sande. “We put a punch above our weight in Grand Forks in terms of finishing a project like this and I think we can do it. I think we have to be very open and honest with people (about) what’s going to happen.”
Mayor Brandon Bochenski asked whether water sports centers would have more running costs than lawn facilities. Because of the equipment needed, O’Toole said higher running costs for swimming pools were common, but having an aquatic center would still add value to the city.
“There are benefits for everyone in the community to expand swimming lessons, water aerobics for seniors, all that kind of stuff,” he says.
Despite concerns over funding, board members shared their support for the facility and the revenue youth sport generates in the community. Board member Danny Weigel cites a report indicating that the youth sports industry is making more money than the NFL industry.
“I think youth sports are here to stay,” Weigel said. “I think people will continue to travel for them and I think it’s an important investment in our community if we want to diversify ourselves a little bit more.”
Another joint meeting is scheduled for March when the facility’s operating expenses will be presented.
Meghan Arbegast grew up in Security-Widefield, Colorado. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Journalism from North Dakota State University in Fargo, in 2021.
Arbegast wrote for The Spectrum, NDSU’s student newspaper, for three years and was Chief News Editor for two. She interned in University Relations for the last two semesters of college.
Arbegast covers news related to the city of Grand Forks/East Grand Forks including town hall coverage.
Readers can contact Arbegast at 701-780-1267 or MArbegast@gfherald.com.
Pronouns: He / The language: English
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