Alerus Center facts for kids
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| Former names | Aurora Events Center (pre-construction) |
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| Location | 1200 S 42nd St Grand Forks, ND 58201-3733 |
| Owner | City of Grand Forks |
| Capacity | 21,000
Configurations
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| Field size | Overall square footage: 447,000 Ballroom square footage: 26,000 Arena floor dimensions: 415' north to south 240' east to west |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | July 15, 1998 |
| Opened | February 10, 2001 |
| Construction cost | $80 million ($144 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Ellerbe Becket JLG Architects Schoen & Associates |
| Structural engineer | Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc. |
| Services engineer | Obermiller Nelson Engineering, Inc. |
| General contractor | Mortenson Construction |
| Tenants | |
| North Dakota Fighting Hawks football (NCAA) (2001–present) | |
The Alerus Center is a large indoor building in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. It works as both an arena (for sports and shows) and a convention center (for meetings and events). The city of Grand Forks owns and runs this big place. It first opened its doors on February 10, 2001.
The main team that plays here is the University of North Dakota football team. The Alerus Center also hosts many other exciting events. These include big concerts, different kinds of sports games, and large trade shows. It can hold more than 21,000 people for some events!
The convention part of the building has a huge ballroom and 12 meeting rooms. This area is perfect for conferences, seminars, parties, and even smaller concerts. Right next to the Alerus Center, there's a big hotel and waterpark complex called the Canad Inns Destination Center.
The Alerus Center got its name from a local bank called Alerus Financial. This bank bought the right to have the building named after them. Before it opened, people called the building the Aurora Events Center.
Contents
Building History: How Alerus Center Was Built
Building the Alerus Center was a big project that took many years.
Early Ideas and Votes
People in Grand Forks started talking about building a new event center way back in 1984. In 1995, citizens voted to add a small sales tax to help pay for it. This first plan for the "Aurora Events Center" was expected to cost about $43 to $49 million. About 60% of people voted yes!
However, the cost went up. So, in 1996, there was another vote for a more expensive center, costing $57 million. This time, 51% of people approved it.
Facing the Flood and New Plans
In 1997, a huge flood hit the Red River area. This natural disaster caused delays for the project. It also made the designers change their plans. They wanted to make sure the new building would be safer from floods in the future.
Opening Day and New Management
In 2000, the "Aurora Events Center" got its new name, the Alerus Center. This happened after Alerus Financial bought the naming rights for 20 years. The Alerus Center finally opened on February 10, 2001. The total cost to build it was $80 million.
In 2006, construction started on the Canad Inns hotel and water park next door. It was finished in 2007. Over the years, different companies have helped manage the Alerus Center. In 2017, a company called Spectra took over the management.
Other Cool Events at Alerus Center
Besides football, the Alerus Center has hosted many other exciting events. For example, it has held professional wrestling shows like WWE Friday Night SmackDown. In 2008, it was also the site for a big political meeting. Future presidents Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both spoke there!
Who Does Alerus Center Compete With?
Grand Forks is special because it's a smaller city with two major event centers. These are the Alerus Center and the Ralph Engelstad Arena. They often try to host the same big events. Sometimes, the Chester Fritz Auditorium in Grand Forks also tries to get these events.
Outside of Grand Forks, the Fargodome in nearby Fargo is a competitor. Also, the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is seen as a rival for big shows.
Canad Inns Destination Center: Next Door Fun
Right next to the Alerus Center, you'll find the Canad Inns Destination Center. This large complex was finished in 2007 and cost $50 million to build.
What's Inside?
The main part of the Destination Center is a 13-story hotel tower with 201 rooms. At 126 feet tall, it's the tallest building in Grand Forks! It's also the tallest building built in North Dakota since the mid-1980s.
The Destination Center also has the biggest waterpark in the state. Plus, it has three restaurants, a special casino, and an arcade. This was the first time the Canadian hotel chain, Canad Inns, opened a facility in the United States.
