The Fargodome is an indoor multi-purpose stadium on the campus of North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, opened on December 2, 1992. It has served as the home field for North Dakota State Bison football since the 1993 season, giving the Bison a climate-controlled venue that shields fans and players from the region’s brutal winters.
Built at a cost of roughly $48 million, the Fargodome was designed to double as both an athletic stadium and a convention center, a dual role that has made it a hub for the Fargo-Moorhead community well beyond football Saturdays. Its fixed hard roof replaced an early inflatable-dome concept inspired by the Tacoma Dome, giving the building the sturdy profile it has today.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): North Dakota State Bison football (FBS, Mountain West Conference)
- Location: Fargo, North Dakota
- Opened: December 2, 1992
- Capacity: About 18,700 for football (up to roughly 26,700 for center-stage concerts)
- Surface: Artificial turf (replaced 2022)
- Notable fact: Served as a sandbag storage site during the 2009 Red River flood
The Game-Day Experience
Because it’s fully enclosed, the Fargodome gives Bison fans a loud, weatherproof atmosphere no matter what North Dakota’s climate throws at it outside. The crowd noise bounces around the hard roof, and the venue backed one of the most decorated programs in college football history, with the Bison capturing 10 FCS national championships on this turf before NDSU made the leap to the FBS ranks and the Mountain West Conference in 2026.
The building’s record football crowd came on October 12, 2013, when 19,108 fans packed in to watch NDSU take on Missouri State, exceeding the venue’s listed capacity and underscoring just how central the Fargodome is to local sports culture.
More Than a Football Stadium
The Fargodome’s flexible interior has hosted concerts, trade shows, and even a 2012 NBA preseason game, making it one of the busiest multi-use facilities in the upper Midwest. Its convention-center function means the building regularly transforms from gridiron to expo floor and back again throughout the year.
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For late-season football, outdoor hockey and October park nights. Shake, pocket, and stay warm for hours.
12 x 10.5 x 6 in. — built to the common stadium clear-bag size. Check your venue's rules.
USB-charged warmers for cold night games — no disposable packets.
Fargodome FAQs
Who plays at the Fargodome?
The North Dakota State Bison football team has called the Fargodome home since the 1993 season, now competing in the FBS as a Mountain West Conference member.
How many people can the Fargodome hold?
The Fargodome seats about 18,700 for football games, with configurations for concerts expanding capacity to roughly 26,700.
When did the Fargodome open?
The Fargodome opened on December 2, 1992, on the campus of North Dakota State University in Fargo.
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Photo: Billybob2002 / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.