Posted by: bisonguy
« on: March 06, 2007, 10:39:40 PM »Maybe I am bias, but I would like to see about whatever it takes to get the new sports arena up. It could bring a lot, more then just for NDSU.
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Maybe I am bias, but I would like to see about whatever it takes to get the new sports arena up. It could bring a lot, more then just for NDSU.
Commision had a meeting last thursday I believe on the arena.
Dome tax argument heats uphttp://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=153133§ion=news
Mike Nowatzki
The Forum - 01/16/2007
Fargo City Commissioner Mike Williams ignited a fiery debate Monday by suggesting excess Fargodome sales tax funds could be used for a ?community stewardship fund? instead of a dome expansion.
Williams cast the lone vote against the Fargo Dome Authority?s request to spend up to $50,000 in sales tax funds to hire an architect to create a rough design and cost estimate for an expansion.
A task force is studying Mayor Dennis Walaker?s proposal to add a 7,000- to 8,000-seat multipurpose arena to the dome to host North Dakota State University basketball and other events to ensure the dome stays viable and doesn?t lose money.
But Williams said that?s just one way to use the sales tax funds, and the public hasn?t been asked for its ideas.
The community also has crucial needs, such as providing shelter for the homeless and affordable housing, he said. He suggested putting all of the excess sales tax funds into the dome?s escrow account for future maintenance and using a portion of the interest for a stewardship fund to address those needs.
?Maybe we?ll put it to a vote,? Williams said. ?Maybe we say, ?Basketball arena or community stewardship fund. What do you want to do?? ?
But other commissioners said they need information on the cost and scope of a dome expansion before deciding whether or not to pursue it.
?We need to find out first of all how much money there is and how much is it going to cost, and then we can make some decisions,? Walaker said. ?Right now it?s extremely early in the process to be shooting this thing down.?
Williams also expressed concern that sending out a request for proposals from architects could ?unduly influence? another architect who is updating the dome?s long-range capital improvement plan.
In a nutshell, that plan will identify how much money the dome will need in escrow for future maintenance ? and how much sales tax revenue might be available for an expansion.
Dome officials hope to have $15 million in escrow when the half-cent dome sales tax expires Dec. 31, 2008. A separate sales tax surplus fund is projected to have $8 million to $10 million by that time.
Dome Authority President Marilyn Guy said an architect won?t be hired and none of the $50,000 will be spent until after officials get the updated capital improvement plan.
?So we think that?s good timing,? she said.
?I don?t think we?re rushing it,? City Commissioner Brad Wimmer added. ?I think we?re trying to move it along but yet be prudent with that.?
I recently heard something about a new sports arena for NDSU Basketball, does anyone know anything about this?