National Sports Center builds new maintenance facility

In October of 2020, the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC) received an appropriation of $3,000,000 from the State of Minnesota to construct and equip a new maintenance facility for the National Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine.

Recognizing the need for a facility that can support the demands of its 600-acre campus, the MASC and National Sports Center Foundation solicited proposals for a 20,000-square-foot maintenance building and a 5,000-square-foot indoor storage area. After considering seven responsive bids, the project’s review committee selected Connolly & Sons Construction to be the contractor.

Having outgrown its existing 5,000-square-foot facility built in the 1960s, the new 25,000-square-foot building will provide much needed space and accommodations. The new building will act as a hub for campus-wide operations and maintenance. In addition to work space and locker rooms for staff, features will include off-season storage for the M Health Fairview Dome, a mechanic shop, chemical storage, an exterior wash bay, and more. 

Neil Ladd, Deputy Executive Director of the National Sports Center, has been the driving force behind the project. “The NSC has requested funding for the completion of the maintenance facility since 2008… with this funding the NSC will be able to have the appropriate operational facilities to maintain the world’s largest amateur sports complex,” he explains. “This has been a long time in the making and we are appreciative of the investment made by the State of Minnesota. We look forward to continuing to provide the world class facilities that Minnesotans have come to enjoy.” 

The building will connect to the southwest corner of the NSC Super Rink and will move operations from its current facility to the south side of campus. “The new location will decrease the frequency of staff crossing public roads with large equipment, improving safety and efficiency,” adds Darin Thompson, Senior Director of Campus Operations for the NSC. Connecting the new construction to existing Super Rink walls will also reduce costs and so promote greater investment into other elements of the facility. 

The project is scheduled for completion in February of 2022.