Voters reject tax hikes to upgrade, expand Fargodome

FARGO (KVRR) – Voters in Fargo have rejected a sales tax increase for a $140 million overhaul and expansion for the Fargodome.

“We’re going to have to do a post-analysis of why you voted against it,” said Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney. “And maybe we shouldn’t have bunched both the convention center and the FARGODOME together.

Nearly 52% of voters cast ballots in favor of the measure, but it needed 60% approval to pass.

If approved, the measure would have added a quarter-cent sales tax increase and 3% lodging tax hike and would have stayed in effect for 20 years.

“Was disappointed with the amount of voters,” said Mahoney. “I think if you had a higher number we may have had a more positive result. We’re just going to have to go back and look at what the people are not liking with the proposition.”

Close to 8,000 ballots were casted.

Mayor Tim Mahoney says proponents of the upgrades will regroup and decide the next steps over the coming months.

“You kind of just go back and say what could we have done different,” said Mahoney. “How can we educate better, how can we make the public better understand. Some of the questions at the end make us feel that maybe we didn’t educate enough.”