FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/16/2024
Fargo's Proposed Convention Center
Fargo, ND: On November 5, 2024, Fargo voters will decide on a proposal to double the city's lodging tax from 3% to 6% to fund a future convention center. This increase, almost exclusively paid for by visitors staying in local hotels, aims to establish a public-private partnership for the center's development. The initiative seeks to boost Fargo's capacity to host large-scale events and attract more visitors to the area.
Fargo currently misses out on large-scale events and conventions due to insufficient meeting and exhibit spaces. That business is going instead to nearby cities like Bismarck, Grand Forks, Duluth, and Sioux Falls. A convention center could help Fargo retain and attract new events, boosting visitor spending and the local economy. Following a failed effort to pass a combined measure for FARGODOME upgrades and a new convention center in December 2023, Fargo voters will now face two separate proposals in the November 5th election: a 20-year, quarter-cent sales tax for FARGODOME improvements and a 25-year increase in the lodging tax from 3% to 6% for the convention center.
"If built, a convention center would attract more and larger gatherings of visitors to the community," said Charley Johnson, CEO of Visit Fargo-Moorhead. "It has the potential to bring outside dollars to local businesses, helping them invest in employees, local services, and growth. Ultimately, that spending would filter into the whole community and benefit everyone."
Visit Fargo-Moorhead works to position our distinctive community as a desirable national destination, enhancing the quality of life for residents. The organization has asked the Fargo Commission to include a convention center on the ballot so that voters can decide if they want the city to move forward with the project.
Photos: https://platform.crowdriff.com/m/s-qgeEdqmiTtEzSgTG
Jayci Altenbernd
Digital Marketing Manager
Visit Fargo-Moorhead
701-365-4564
jayci@fargomoorhead.org
