The Alerus Center is the region’s largest convention and meeting facility, designed to seat up to 22,500 and easily accommodate concerts, conventions, trade shows, and sporting events. JLG’s goal was to create a multipurpose, flexible destination in the City of Grand Forks, ND, with ease of accessibility to Interstate 29. JLG created a master plan that included 160,000 SF of convention and trade show space with 11,000 SF of meeting rooms.
The building features an extravagant 25,000 SF ballroom with 22-foot-high ceilings that break down into five smaller, more intimate event rooms. Beyond meetings and events, The Alerus Center Arena devotes 100,000 SF to football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. The Arena is home to University of North Dakota’s football team and features the only regulation indoor soccer surface between Seattle and Minneapolis. The flexible seating systems provide an assortment of seating options capable of “scaling the house” to create an intimate environment regardless of the seating size.
The facility features state-of-the-art acoustic control, sound systems, and lighting to meet ESPN standards. Eighteen luxury suites are situated high enough so that standing fans do not interfere with sightlines. Eight premium locker facilities are capable of handling virtually any sporting event. Today, The Alerus Center is well-known as Grand Forks’ premier entertainment, sports, and convention destination, driving both tax dollars and year-round tourism for the City.
