7-RFP HFBE Master Developer FINAL.pdf

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 1

Fargo Dome Authority (FDA) |

North Dakota State University (NDSU)

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Hotel & Entertainment District

Master Developer for

“North District” site adjacent to the FARGODOME & Proposed Fargo Convention Center

RFP Submittals Due:

Friday, January 16th by 12:00 pm CST

Summary RFP Schedule:

RFP Issued November 24th, 2025 Interested parties may correspond with written questions.

December 10th, 2025 @ 12 pm CST

Responses/Addenda Posted December 19th, 2025 @ 12 pm CST

*Questions to CCC for Phase II RFP due *January 2nd, 2026 Proposals due January 16th, 2026 @ 12 pm CST

Notify Short list Interviewees January 23rd, 2026 Interviews Week of February 2nd, 2026

Selection / Intent to Award February 9th, 2026 *Phase II FCC Site RFP due *Friday, February 27th, 2026

*Related Fargo Convention Center Site Selection Phase II RFP Dates

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 2

Project Summary Snapshot

Project Type Hotel and Entertainment District mixed-use development

Location Fargodome Hospitality District Site – adjacent to the Fargodome on NDSU land

Purpose Create a vibrant hospitality hub supporting the Fargodome, future Convention Center, North Dakota State University and the North Fargo area

Key Uses 150 key hotel, multiple F&B venues, outdoor activities, optional retail

Parking Ample surface parking available – no parking structure required

Transaction Long-term ground lease

Estimated Costs

$40-60 million Hotel $50–$90 million Entertainment District

Public Support Potential PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) program

Target Completion

Sequenced with Convention Center Schedule

Proposal Due January 16th, 2026 @ 12:00 pm Central Standard Time

1. Project Summary

The Fargo Dome Authority (“Authority”) and North Dakota State University (“NDSU”) jointly invite qualified development teams to propose site concepts for a Hotel and Entertainment

District located on NDSU-owned land adjacent to the Fargodome.

The Authority and NDSU seek a private partner to design, finance, construct, operate, and maintain a high-quality district integrating hospitality and dining experiences that expand

Fargo’s tourism and entertainment offerings while complementing the planned City of Fargo

Convention Center.

This RFP represents a proactive step positioning the Dome site as the most coordinated, infrastructure-ready location for the Fargo Convention Center.

In addition to dedicated sales and lodging tax revenues, the Fargo Dome Authority maintains a substantial investment fund that can provide supplemental resources to support the

Convention Center project, further strengthening the financial position of the Dome site relative to other alternatives.

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 3

1.1 Relationship to the City of Fargo Convention Center RFP

The City of Fargo has issued a separate Phase II Request for Proposals (RFP) to determine which of the top four candidate sites will serve as the location for the new Fargo Convention

Center. The Fargodome North District Site—owned by NDSU and leased by the City of Fargo— is one of the four sites under active consideration.

The inclusion of the Fargodome site in the City’s final Convention Center plan is dependent upon its selection through the final City Commission Approval. To demonstrate readiness and strength, the combined team of NDSU and the Fargo Dome Authority is proceeding now with this separate Hotel and Entertainment District RFP to identify a qualified development partner and present a comprehensive private-sector plan that complements and enhances the City’s overall Convention Center initiative.

A strong and market-credible response to this Hotel & Entertainment District RFP will directly strengthen the Fargo Dome Authority’s proposal to the City of Fargo and will be included as part of the Authority’s submission in the City’s Convention Center selection process. The selected respondent will also be asked to collaborate with the Fargo Dome Authority and

North Dakota State University in preparing and presenting the Authority’s final response to the City of Fargo as part of its submission for Convention Center site selection.

1.2 Combined Opportunity

NDSU and the Fargo Dome Authority recognize the potential synergy between the hotel & entertainment district, and the future Convention Center. While this RFP is specifically for the Hotel and Entertainment District, the selected developer could submit for the Construction Manager at Risk RFP for the Convention Center should the Fargodome site be chosen.

Respondents are encouraged to structure this proposal to demonstrate capacity for the hotel & entertainment district. Respondents may submit for the 1. Hotel only; or 2. Entertainment District only; or 3. Hotel and Entertainment District.

1.3 Competing Sites

There are four short-listed sites competing for the Fargo Convention Center. These were approved at the City of Fargo Commission Meeting on September 29th, 2025. These four sites have been invited to submit Phase II of the RFP due February 27th, 2026.

• RLE Architecture Interiors (Fargodome / NDSU North District Site) – Directly south of the existing Fargodome on university-owned land (this RFP).

• Enclave (Scheels Arena Site) – Attached to an existing hockey arena near West Fargo.

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 4

• Mutchler Bartram Architects (Brewhalla Site) – Adjacent to an existing boutique hotel off Main Avenue.

• EAPC Architects Engineers (Downtown Fargo Site) – Adjacent to Broadway N. and the

Civic Plaza area.

See all Phase I submittals here. Selection of the Fargodome site by the City would create the

Convention Center and the Hotel & Entertainment District into a unified Fargo North District

Development—a premier public-private combined total investment estimated between $145 to $195 million.

2. Project Context and Opportunity

2.1 Location

The approximately 150,000 square foot site lies immediately southeast of the Fargodome, with direct regional access via I-29 and 19th Avenue N. Hector International Airport is located

2.5 miles from the Fargodome. The Fargo Jet Center is also located close by, just 3.3 miles away. The City of Fargo will evaluate the four short listed sites in its Convention Center RFP

Phase II submittals due on February 27th, 2026 (see Section 1.3). This RFP positions the

Fargodome North District Site as the most coordinated, infrastructure-ready, and synergistic option.

2.2 Existing Conditions and Infrastructure

• Land Ownership: NDSU property leased by the City of Fargo.

• Access: Excellent vehicular and pedestrian connectivity.

• Utilities: Full municipal utilities adjacent to site.

• Parking: Ample surface parking in existing Dome and NDSU lots — no structured parking required. Parking access for hotel and entertainment district will be facilitated through a reciprocal agreement.

https://fargond.gov/news-events/city-news-releases/post-detail?id=68968a7b9e6a551609a3ae0f

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2.3 Program Vision

• 150-key hotel (upper-midscale, upscale, or upper-upscale)

• Multiple food and beverage venues (casual dining, brewery/bar, café)

• Vibrant outdoor plaza featuring open-air food & beverage, live music, and spaces for games and community events.

• Optional boutique retail or entertainment uses

2.3.1 Anticipated Demand and Occupancy Drivers

While a formal occupancy study has not yet been completed, the Fargo Dome Authority recognizes multiple, reliable demand sources that will drive hotel occupancy and sustain the food and beverage district. The project’s success is supported by four distinct visitor streams:

1. Fargodome Events: The Dome currently attracts more than 450 thousand visitors annually for athletic events, concerts, conventions, and regional competitions. Hotel guests and restaurant patrons will benefit from proximity and walkability to these large-scale gatherings.

2. Future Convention Center Activity: Should the Fargodome site be selected by the

City of Fargo for the new Convention Center, an additional year-round stream of visitors for trade shows, corporate meetings, and regional conferences will directly support the hotel and dining venues.

3. North Dakota State University (NDSU): The University is home to over 14,000 students and staff, programs, commencement ceremonies, academic conferences, and campus visitation generating thousands of overnight stays each year. The hotel’s adjacency to the NDSU campus provides an unmatched advantage for university-related travel and events.

4. NDSU Athletics: The University’s Division I athletics program boasts 16 varsity sports with over 600 NCAA student athletes and coaches. The synergy of thousands of athletes and fans attending events at several adjacent NDSU facilities and venues.

These include: Sanford Health Athletic Complex, Scheels Arena, Nodak Insurance

Basketball Performance Center, WE B Giving Foundation Bison Athletics Operations

Center, Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome, Dacotah Field, Bentson-Bunker

Fieldhouse, Shelly Ellig indoor Track & Field Facility, Terrence Dahl and Donna Bares

Track Complex, Tharaldson Softball Park, Newman Outdoor Field, McCormick

Wrestling Room, and the Nodak Insurance Football facility. This magnitude of athletic https://www.fargodome.com/ https://www.ndsu.edu/ https://gobison.com/

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 6 events brings an outstanding opportunity for huge groups supporting this hotel and entertainment district. See more details on each facility at gobison.com.

5. Newman Outdoor Field Events: Home to the American Association of Professional

Baseball team, the Fargo RedHawks, and NDSU Division I baseball, this outdoor stadium also hosts major concerts—drawing a combined annual attendance of more than 180,000. Conveniently located within walking distance of the proposed North

District hotel, it offers guests easy access to premier sports and entertainment.

6. NDEAVOR: Recently rebranded as NDeavor, the former NDSU Research &

Technology Park is drawing some of the nation’s leading innovators in defense and agri-tech to our North District community. With its proximity to our hotel and entertainment district, visitors will find a convenient and appealing destination that enhances their stay in North Fargo.

7. Fargo Air Museum: Located across 19th Avenue from the North District, the Fargo

Air Museum draws more than 20,000 visitors annually—including aviation enthusiasts, families, youth camp participants, and guests attending special occasions such as weddings and corporate events. Its proximity to our hotel and entertainment district offers a walkable convenience that perfectly complements their experience.

8. General Tourism and Regional Travel: Fargo’s expanding business community, regional airport connectivity, and established leisure tourism base create consistent demand from travelers seeking quality accommodations with integrated food, beverage, and entertainment options.

Together, these market drivers support a strong and diversified base of demand for a

150 key hotel and associated Food & Beverage offerings. Respondents are encouraged to consider these demand sources and expand upon them in their proposed development and financial models.

2.4 Preliminary Cost Context

Joint planning by the Fargo Dome Authority and NDSU estimates total development and infrastructure costs between $135 to $195 million including the convention center, hotel and entertainment district. Of this total amount, the convention center portion is approximately

$45M, the hotel portion is $40-60M, and the entertainment district is $50-90M.

Public funding for the convention center will be supported by voter-approved revenue sources —3% lodging tax. The hotel and entertainment district will be private funds and may be supplemented by a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program structured to capture revenue contributions from private developments on university land.

https://gobison.com/facilities https://www.fmredhawks.com/vr-stadium-tour https://ndeavor.org/ https://fargoairmuseum.org/

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 7

Under a PILOT framework, private hotel and restaurant developers would contribute negotiated annual payments in lieu of property taxes to fund shared infrastructure, site improvements, and public-realm maintenance.

Fargodome Permanent Fund:

The Fargo Dome Authority also maintains an investment and surplus revenue fund estimated at approximately $45 million, built through operating surpluses from Dome revenues. While these resources are not allocated for the Hotel and Entertainment District, $15- 20 million is expected to be available to support and complete Convention Center funding if the

Fargodome site is selected by the City of Fargo.

This financial capacity underscores the overall viability of the Fargodome/NDSU North

District site and demonstrates the Authority’s ability to participate in and sustain major public investments in this area.

2.5 Reference Information and Background Materials

To foster informed participation, the City of Fargo provides access to reference documents:

• Public meeting summaries, recordings, and agendas from the City and Fargo Dome

Authority.

• HVS Market Study Summary for Proposed Fargo Convention Center

• Fargo Moorhead Convention Center Project Committee public website.

• Links to Convention Center Committee meetings, and videos

Visitor attendance statistics, event calendars, and tourism data from the Fargo-Moorhead

Convention & Visitors Bureau to assist respondents in preparing occupancy projections.

3. Partnership and Transaction Framework

• Long-term ground lease

• Developer responsible for Hotel & Entertainment District design, financing, construction, operations, and maintenance.

• FDA | NDSU will retain design control and design oversight.

https://fargond.gov/city-government/boards-commissions/convention-center-committee https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/fargo-moorhead/HVS_Convention_Center_Market_Study_Final_db5c036e-616e-4eb6-a92f-d88957cf104a.pdf https://www.fargomoorhead.org/convention-center/ https://fargond.gov/city-government/boards-commissions/convention-center-committee/meeting-videos

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 8

• The selected developer may be asked to negotiate a revenue-sharing arrangement as part of its ground lease.

• The selected developer may be eligible to apply for a PILOT.

• Target milestones: construction to be in sequence with the Convention Center schedule.

3.1 Development Readiness and Consultant Team

The Fargo Dome Authority, City of Fargo, and North Dakota State University have made significant progress in preparing the Fargodome and North District area for integrated development. Key third-party consultants and professional partners have been engaged or are available to provide technical support, cost analysis, and design coordination.

Current and Prospective Technical Partners Include:

• RLE Architects – Local architect of record, responsible for initial site massing and planning coordination.

• Perkins & Will – National design consultant with experience in convention, arena and hospitality integration.

• North Dakota State University Facilities Management – Coordination for utilities and land interface.

• City of Fargo Engineering & Planning Department – Infrastructure design, utilities coordination, and right-of-way approvals.

• Blue Rose Capital Advisors – Advisor to NDSU on financial and development coordination, providing advisory support for feasibility and land use integration.

Collectively, these partners have contributed to early concept planning, feasibility analysis, and preliminary cost modeling for the North District.

This assembled consultant team ensures the project can mobilize quickly following selection of a private development partner and final City site determination. Respondents are encouraged to describe how their own design, financial, and operations teams can complement and integrate with this existing framework.

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 9

3.2 NDSU Expectations and Coordination Principles

North Dakota State University (NDSU), as the owner of the underlying land, all projects developed within the North District and on NDSU property intends to negotiate a fair and equitable revenue-sharing arrangement related to hotel, entertainment, and ancillary development activities.

4. Proposal Content Requirements

All respondents to this RFP have the option to submit for 1. Hotel only; or 2. Entertainment District only; or 3. Hotel and Entertainment District.

A. Cover Page

Proposal introduction including identifying the primary contact person, address, phone and email. Clearly state which of the three options you are submitting for.

B. Development Team & Experience Overview

• Provide a comprehensive profile of your firm, including its structure, relevant experience, and references.

• Highlight the three most pertinent examples of your firm's work products, ensuring these examples relate directly to the scope of this request. Preference should be given to projects completed in communities of similar size, featuring comparable venues and assets. Include references with contact information, square footage, and value for each of the three examples.

• Identify each development team member, outlining the specific role and relationship of each firm to the project. Clarify the responsibilities of each member from the initial concept phase through to construction and ongoing operation of the completed project.

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 10

C. Development Vision for Hotel & Entertainment District

Please include a detailed description of the distinctive experience guests will enjoy when visiting the North District. For both the hotel and food & entertainment districts, please include estimated hard and soft costs with contingencies (furniture, fixtures, and equipment;

design, licenses, permits, legal; financing costs; etc.), along with time required to provide a guarantee maximum project cost. Provide usage fee schedule (i.e., F&B caps, room ADR, facility fees)

Hotel

• Restaurant/Lounge capacity and layout concept

• Guest rooms per floor

• Size of guest rooms & room types

• Hotel Brand & quality level indicating amenities.

• Sizes and amenities of meeting spaces within the hotel.

• Provide information about the hotel’s management team.

Food & Entertainment

Break down the 120,000 square feet how you envision the food and entertainment space including green space, typical tenant size, and estimated # of tenants. For example:

Category % Allocation SQ FT Typical Tenant Size

Estimated # of Tenants

Restaurants / F&B

35 % 31,500 4–6 k sq ft (full-service), 2–3 k sq ft (fast-casual)

6 – 10 restaurants

Retail / Boutique

25 % 22,500 1.5 – 2.5 k sq ft 8 – 12 shops

Entertainment / Venue

25 % 22,500 10 – 20 k sq ft anchors (brew hall, live-music space, mini-golf, etc.)

1 – 2 anchors

Office / Flex / Service

15 % 13,500 varies 3 – 5 suites

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 11

Demand Generation and Occupancy Planning

1. Explain how your proposed concept is designed to capture occupancy from the primary visitor sources described in Section 2.3.1, including Fargodome events, Convention Center visitors, activities at North Dakota State University, and general

Fargo tourism.

2. Provide your team’s assumptions for occupancy segmentation, average daily rate

(ADR), and seasonality, drawing upon experience with similar mixed-use or event-driven markets.

3. Describe how you will create a unified and compelling identity for the North District

Development by strategically integrating the Fargo Convention Center, the

Fargodome, North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the North Fargo community.

Through coordinated design, shared marketing, and consistent messaging, the North

District will become a destination that embodies Fargo’s dynamic spirit and enhances its visibility on a national scale.

D. Financial Capacity, Implementation, Supporting Information

Detail the financial arrangements supporting the project, including investor equity commitments, loan structures, any required property tax incentives, reliance on tax increment financing, and the use of other public funding sources. Please provide a proposal for guarantees for private development. Provide a pro forma financial operational model with a minimum of the first five years of anticipated revenues and expenses and expected hard and soft costs with contingencies. Identify the hotel independently from the entertainment district.

Describe your team’s approach to public partnership participation. Address the structure of payments, the allocation of funds toward public infrastructure, and mechanisms for ongoing revenue sharing or maintenance funding. Respondents may also propose alternative models, such as percentage rent or participation fees, provided these are consistent with practices in comparable mixed-use or university district developments.

E. Implementation and Schedule

Outline your anticipated schedule for the design, construction, and fit-up phases, commissioning and opening dates. Include milestone dates for per opening of the hotel and the food and entertainment district components in relationship to the convention center.

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 12

5. Evaluation Criteria

Development Team Qualifications & Experience

Financial Capacity & Transaction Structure

Development Vision & Concept Quality

Economic / Community / University Integration

Familiarity working with Project Location

Implementation Strategy & Schedule

Existing Workload Capacity

Completeness & Responsiveness

Evaluation will consider financial feasibility and structure, including the proposer’s approach to the PILOT program and long-term revenue sharing with the public partners.

6. Schedule of Events

Milestone Date

RFP Issued Nov 24th,, 2025

Advertised December 3, December 10, December17

Written Questions Due December 10th, 2025 @ 12 pm CST

Responses / Addenda Posted December 19th, 2025 @ 12 pm CST

Proposals Due January 16th, 2026 @ 12 pm CST

Short-List Interview Selection January 23rd, 2026

Interviews Week of February 2nd

Selection / Intent to Award February 9th, 2026

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 13

Communication Policy

To ensure consistency and fairness, members of the Fargo Dome Authority (FDA) and North

Dakota State University (NDSU) must not be contacted directly with questions. All inquiries must be submitted in writing through the designated process.

Questions: Questions pertaining to this RFP should be written no later than Wednesday, December 10th, 2025, by 12 pm CST. Questions should be submitted via Bonfire located at https://fargond.gov/work/bids-and-procurement

Responses /Addenda: Responses to all questions for clarifications and addenda will be posted on the City of Fargo Bonfire Portal Website by12 pm CST on December 19th, 2025.

Respondents are responsible for checking the site for updates.

7. Submission Instructions

• Submit a single PDF file.

• Optional: Separate single PDF file for confidential information only. (See Section 8. 5)

• Upload to: City of Fargo Bonfire Portal at fargond.bonfirehub.com/

• For technical questions related to your submission, please contact Bonfire at Support@GoBonfire.com.

• Deadline for submissions is January 16th, 2026, at 12 pm CST.

• Late submissions will not be accepted.

8. General Conditions

1. The FDA | NDSU selection committee reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals.

2. All costs of preparing a response are at the proposer’s expense.

3. The FDA | NDSU selection committee may cancel or modify this solicitation at any time.

4. The selected proposer will enter negotiations for a definitive ground lease; issuance of this RFP does not commit the FDA | NDSU selection committee to any contract.

https://fargond.gov/work/bids-and-procurement mailto:Support@GoBonfire.com

Hotel & Entertainment District RFP 14

5. All proposal materials are public records under applicable North Dakota law, except for exempt or confidential information as defined by the Open Records law of North

Dakota, including without limitation, trade secret, proprietary, commercial, and financial information as defined by Section 44-04-18.4 of the North Dakota Century

Code. Confidential information within a proposal must be segregated and submitted separately in the Bonfire portal system.

6. The FDA | NDSU selection committee is an equal-opportunity entity and encourages participation from minority- and women-owned businesses.

7. By submitting a proposal, respondents certify they have not engaged in collusion or other anti-competitive practices.

All addenda issued become part of this RFP. Responses are subject to North Dakota open-records law except for properly designated confidential information.

9. Attachments / Exhibits

Exhibit Title Description

A

Fargodome, Hotel &

Entertainment District Site

Map

Boundary map and aerial photo

B Conceptual Site Plan and

Renderings Preliminary site configuration and visual concepts

C Infrastructure Readiness and

Utilities Plan

Utility locations, capacity, and infrastructure overview plan

D Convention Center Traffic

Overview

Regional and local access map with City of Fargo

Engineering Access data related to the adjacent proposed Convention Center property

E Event Attendance & Market

Metrics Sheet

Fargodome, NDSU, and tourism attendance and visitor data

F

Second Phase Fargo

Conference/Convention

Center RFP

Requirements by the City of Fargo’s Convention

Center Committee for the Phase II submittal due

February 27th, 2025