Groundbreaking doesn't mark the last of UND's athletic facility ambitions
Aug. 21—GRAND FORKS — UND officials gathered next to the Fritz Pollard Athletic Center on Monday afternoon to break ground on its newest athletic facility — the Nodak Insurance Company Sports Performance Center.
It will house UND's athletic offices, a weight room, a sports medicine area and locker rooms for football, softball and men's and women's cross country and track and field.
"This is something that needed to take place for a day-to-day basis for almost two-thirds of our student-athletes," UND athletic director Bill Chaves said. "For them to come every day to a premier facility to hone their skills is incredible important."
The facility has been years in the making, but it's not the end for UND.
Chaves said the athletic department has already set its eyes on developing the parking lot to the north of the Fritz Pollard Athletic Center.
"Our facilities master plan, which is integrated with the university's master plan, still discusses the possibility of doing something to the north, across Second Avenue," Chaves said. "That's certainly high on our list. In aeronautical terminology, we haven't necessarily landed the plane yet, but we're certainly hoping we're heading toward the airport."
The plan is to build a mixed-used facility via a public-private partnership and a softball stadium, which would be located in the old Ralph Engelstad Arena parking lot.
"That's the thought at this point," Chaves said. "Those are the discussions we're currently having at this point."
The softball team currently plays at Apollo Complex, which is located off campus.
Chaves said there are still a lot of "moving parts" to try to make it happen.
"We're not necessarily there yet to be able to announce anything," Chaves said. "But I think it's fair to say, if you look at our visuals of our master plan, you'd see it there. It's no different than anything else on our master plan that we're working toward. That's something Erik (Martinson, deputy athletic director) and I work on each and every day, along with our great teammates in facilities and administration here at UND."
