Downtown team pitches $41M base build with recommended $5M riverfront TIF to fund expanded convention campus

A downtown team led by Kilborn Group and partners told Fargo’s convention‑center committee on March 7 that reusing the existing Civic Center shell and attaching a new facility downtown could meet the city’s program needs within a $41 million base budget while creating a walkable, amenity‑rich campus.

Mike Almendinger, the Kilborn team lead, told the committee the downtown plan focuses on delivering an authentic, locally rooted visitor experience and emphasized existing hotels, Skyway connections and downtown restaurants as reasons the city can control more of the site and the visitor experience. “Downtown Fargo, we are gonna deliver a visitor experience that is authentic, it's local, and it's distinguishable,” Almendinger said.

Program, reuse and connectivity
EAPC and Gensler described an approach that retains roughly 50–60,000 square feet of the existing civic center to reduce new construction costs — a reuse the team said represented roughly $10 million in value — and adds a roughly 30,000 sq ft exhibit hall and a 15,000 sq ft ballroom, plus meeting rooms and basement back‑of‑house staging. The proposal emphasizes an integrated civic plaza, pedestrian wayfinding and connection to existing hotels (Radisson Blu, Jasper) via the Skyway.

Funding, TIF and schedule
The team proposed a $41 million base project and recommended the city consider applying $5 million from the existing riverfront TIF to reach a $46 million package that would add elements the team views as fiscally responsible. The team also offered an optional additional $2 million of TIF to build a plaza and parking improvements. The presenters cautioned that new market tax credit awards are competitive and not guaranteed. Construction managers presented a delivery timeline that targets substantial completion in December 2028 if design begins this spring and demolition overlaps in fall.

Operations and programming
Venue Works, the operations partner presented by the Kilborn team, described an employee‑owned, Midwest‑based management approach that would provide in‑house food & beverage, on‑site sales and a joint marketing approach with Visit Fargo Moorhead to recruit sports, trade shows and association business. Toby (Venue Works) said the firm typically charges a base management fee plus commissions on food & beverage and sponsorship revenues and that the company would partner with Visit Fargo Moorhead and local hotels to attract events.

Committee concerns and next steps
Committee members asked for details on parking and drop‑off (team pointed to 4th Street and specific bus/drop zones), kitchen size (team said the design includes just under 5,000 sq ft for catering), remediation and whether demolition/abatement costs were included (the team said they were accounted for), and the magnitude of early operating deficits. The committee agreed to ask Baker Tilly to review finalists’ financials and have HVS provide an operating review; both reviews would inform scoring and any TIF recommendation.

No final decision was made; the committee expects outside financial reviews before moving to score and recommend finalists to the city commission.