ALERUS CENTER: New turf has $4 million price
December 28, 2011 at 4:55 pm in Grand Forks Herald
As an indoor football venue, the Alerus Center cannot host games on real grass, but for $4 million, it can have something almost as good.
After 11 years of wear and tear, the Alerus Center’s management is replacing its playing surface with new turf, estimated to cost between $3.5 million to $4 million. Continue Reading
Perfect. Another four million taxpayer dollars down the never-ending rathole; never to be seen again.
First Guess: The estimates will be low (remember the 30% cost overrun to build the place to begin with?) and they aren’t counting the cost of the interest on the bonds to pay for the turf.
We still owe ~57 million dollars on the place; all this time we’ve been paying the debt we’ve barely paid the interest. Time for a remodel! Economic Development! I can hear the panting and moaning of the City Council from here.
Like or Dislike:
17 
7
Oh, give me a break GFH. Nice reporting. Except that you blatantly sugarcoat and hide the real reason why the turf has to change. I’m sorry, but I do not buy that after 11 years it is so worn that it needs to be replaced. Everybody and their brother knows that the reason it needs to be replaced is because it says SIOUX at each endzone, and since it must be gotten rid of the turf has to be replaced. Who, might I ask, is going to get stuck with the bill for this one? First guess is that it is not going to be NCAA. Just like with the Ralph. Million bucks says you put the cost on us students. What a travesty!
Like or Dislike:
15 
10
Schurkey and stmchsrund, I’m with you guys on this, but if you want to achieve the coveted and all-important “Thumbs Up” here on the venerated Grand Forks Herald comments section, all you have to do is just copy/paste this comment into the box and watch your approval soar. “I agree with the Harald on everything. Thinking for myself is dangerous. There is nothing wrong with Grand Forks or UND. EVER. Whatever the much smarter than me Grand Forks City Council/ UND administration/ Grand Forks Public School System/ North Dakota State Board of Higher Education/ Grand Forks County Library Board/ Herald Editorial says will always be fine by me. Dissension is impolite and makes people uncomfortable. Where’s my checkbook? I’d like to pay for whatever they want at whatever cost just to keep things nice and quiet.”
Like or Dislike:
8 
6
stmchsrund – You are not real bright if you think the only reason the turf needs to be replaced is because of the logo. My question is, why is it costing a million more dollars to replace it here than in Fargo? Read this from the Forum:
Gate City Bank buys naming rights to new Fargodome turf
FARGO – The Fargodome is going 3D and Gate City Bank is contributing to it. The two announced a $1 million partnership Thursday that will give Gate City the naming rights to the new Astroturf GameDay 3D field turf that is expected to be completed next summer.
The new softer turf with rubber infill will have yellow end zones with a Bison logo at midfield. It will be called Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.
The total project is budgeted at $3 million, although Fargodome general manager Rob Sobolik said indications are it will come in under that. Contractors are expected to begin work next week to expand the storage pit in the south end zone.
The turf carries an eight-year warranty and estimates indicate a shelf life of eight to 10 years, but Sobolik said because it is indoors, the Dome Authority has been told it’s possible it could get 11 to 12 years out of it.
Like or Dislike:
8 
0
Well UND can’t be without something the Bison are getting.. I mean really. Just like UND can fly around in one of their private jets but they want NDSU to take the bus.
Like or Dislike:
14 
4