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Episode:

Bison Media Blog: Indoor football facility clears last hurdle; softball indoor next
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2022-03-30 20:27:35
Description: FARGO North Dakota State finished the final bullet point in the construction of the $50 million Nodak Insurance Company Football Performance Complex on Wednesday when the North Dakota legislative budget committee gave its approval at a meeting in Bismarck. With all funds privately raised, the move was expected albeit necessary in a project that has been full steam ahead since January.

"That was kind of the last hurdle in terms of approval ... to move forward with some version of Phase 2," said NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen.



The approvals started with the State Board of Higher Education in 2018 and later the legislative budget committee. Larsen and NDSU President Dean Bresciani made the final proposal Wednesday at the State Capitol.



Phase 1 was approved at $37 million. With additional funding secured in December, Phase 2 will be incorporated into the overall construction and is expected to be completed by next fall. Larsen said the vote was nearly unanimous with one dissenting vote and it's possible that could have been tied into another project with another state school.



"I don't think there were any real issues," he said. "And I think, not that we anticipated per se because it's a privately funded project, but it's so important to be out there and go through the process. For the most part, it was well received."



NDSU wasn't done with its presentations, either. The athletic department also got approval to increase the price tag of a privately-raised indoor softball facility from $2 million to $2.6 million.



It will be built adjacent to the home dugout along the third base line at NDSU's Tharaldson Park. Preliminary work started almost two years ago but the athletic department will now begin the process of hiring an architect for further design and cost estimates.



In a perfect world, Larsen said he would like to see construction start this summer or fall and have it ready for the 2023 season. Fundraising is close to being finished, he said.



"Obviously costs have gone up for that project," Larsen said, "so we're trying to maximize the funds we do have to get the most out of that project."


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