News

FARGO, N.D. – Construction will begin this summer on North Dakota State University’s new indoor practice facility, which was given final authorization Thursday, April 29, by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education.

The entire cost of the estimated $37.2 million building project is being privately funded, including a lead gift from Nodak Insurance Company, which has been awarded naming rights. Groundbreaking is expected in July for the Nodak Insurance Company Football Performance Complex.

“The indoor practice facility has been a priority for athletics over the past three years and it is exciting to see it coming to fruition,” said NDSU director of athletics Matt Larsen. “The impact of this first-class facility will be transformational in the preparation and development of our student-athletes for years to come. A sincere thank you to Jim Alexander and Nodak Insurance Company for their partnership and belief in both this project and the future of Bison Athletics.”

Nodak Insurance Company is a North Dakota-based company that has been proudly serving the state’s residents for 75 years. The company has been a longtime supporter of NDSU Athletics and previously partnered with NDSU in construction of the Nodak Insurance Company Basketball Performance Center.

“As a company whose roots began in this state 75 years ago, we are excited to partner with another North Dakota institution with the tradition of excellence that North Dakota State University has both in the classroom and on the football field,” said Nodak Insurance Company President and CEO Jim Alexander. “The Nodak Insurance Company Football Performance Complex will be one of the premier indoor facilities not only in the Upper Midwest but in the country. We consider this a tremendous opportunity to be part of continuing the tradition of championship Bison football.”

A state-of-the-art training facility for the 16-time national champion NDSU football program, the Nodak Insurance Company Football Performance Complex will include capacity for the women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s track and field programs also affected by weather throughout the year.

The complex will have two artificial turf fields – one indoors and one outdoors – on the site of the current practice fields south of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex. The indoor field will be a full 120 yards long and 60 yards wide with a roof clearance of 72 feet at the peak.

“This will be one of the premier facilities in the country and will allow all of our athletic programs to train and develop year-round,” said NDSU head football coach Matt Entz. “To accomplish this project during a pandemic displays the unbelievable support and passion our fans, boosters and alumni have for the Bison.”

The project’s first phase will be to construct the indoor practice facility and outdoor field, which will replace Dacotah Field’s temporary bubble that is at the end of its life. A future phase will include locker rooms, sports medicine and other miscellaneous needs for the complex.

The indoor facility will cover more than 117,000 square feet including the practice field, operations building and storage warehouse. There will be camera decks on all sides, an elevated viewing area for recruiting and guests, a weight room and fueling station, and a retractable netting system to accommodate multiple sports.

Seven overhead doors will open from the indoor facility onto the outdoor practice field for ease of transition during team practices, scoreboards and play clocks will be provided on both fields, and LED lighting systems will be installed indoors and outdoors.

The Nodak Insurance Company Football Performance Complex is being designed locally by Foss Architects and Interiors of Fargo in collaboration with Crawford Architects of Kansas City, which recently designed football practice facilities for the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks.