Convention Center Committee seeking public input as they near final decision

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — From nine proposals down to just four, the Convention Center Committee has been focused on which site will be the best to develop.

“One of the primary things we want to see if they changed any detail in the plan. And then we also want to see what the construction budget is, what we can get from the money we have. And so far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised the projects are feasible at the costs we have to spend,” said Charley Johnson, Convention Center Committee Member.

Developers had to recently submit new changes to their proposals. The four sites include an expansion to the Fargodome, Scheels Arena, Fargo Civic Center, or land beside Brewhalla.

Fargo voters approved a 3% tax on hotel and motel stays to fund the construction of a convention center. And now, with the final decision yet to be made, public comments are being accepted on the four proposals.

“The committee’s been working for over a year now on these proposals. So I think we got a pretty good handle on it, but we are, of course, curious to hear now, with the final four proposals, what sort of public sentiment there is. It never hurts to ask, right?” said Johnson.

Johnson has yet to look at public comments that have been made. But after working on the committee for over a year, he said he is excited to make the final decision on a convention center.

“It’s been a lot of work, a lot of meetings, a lot of information to pore through, but it’s going to pay off because I know we’re going to get a good project,” said Johnson.

Public comments are being accepted until March 12th here.

The committee will meet again to go over the new changes starting on Friday. And they hope to have a tallied decision to the city commission by the end of April.