Fargo convention center decision delayed until side-by-side financials are available

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Brewhalla or Fargo Civic Center: there is still no decision on where the convention center will be built.

Commissioners have voted unanimously to have city staff continue to work with Baker Tilly on a side-by-side financial evaluation on both proposals.

The due diligence report must be presented to the commission no later then June 22.

A motion by Commissioner John Strand to only look at the financials for the Civic center site was rejected on a 3-2 vote.

The former chair of the convention center committee told the commission they need to finish the job.

“All of the developers involved in this, beginning with the nine down to four and now to the last two have jumped through every hoop I think we’ve asked them to jump through and I know they will continue to do that until you make up your mind. But I think the process deserves an ending and I really think that this City Commission is the group that should do it,” Charley Johnson, former Convention Center Committee Chair, told the commission.

The city election is just days away with three sitting city commissioners running for mayor.

A new mayor and two city commissioners will be sworn-in to office on July 6.

A number of steps need to be taken after a site is chosen including amending the lodging tax ordinances to begin collecting the tax for 25 years.

Construction is projected for next spring.