New All-Sports Dome Open House On Monday, Dec. 9

Get A Look Inside Your New Campus Sports Facility

This 45-second video offers a quick glimpse of the two hours needed to inflate the dome of the new All-Sports Dome and SCHEELS Field.

READ FAST FACTS ABOUT THE DOME AT THE END OF THIS NEWS STORY.

by TRAVIS GERLACH, CSU Public Relations Intern

It is finally done! The Maverick All-Sports Dome is up. It’s passed city inspection and now it’s time to celebrate!

The campus community is invited to a free public open house for the new facility on Monday, Dec. 9, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Free parking in Orange Lot 22 South.

The domed home of SCHEELS Field located at 1910 Monks Ave. offers an impressive new footprint on the Minnesota State University, Mankato campus. will hold a free public open house for the new Maverick All-Sports Dome on Monday, Dec. 9 from 5:30-8 p.m. The University community and public are invited to the open house.

According to Todd Pfingsten, director of Campus Recreation, the facility will be 1-1/2 soccer fields in size – or three small-sided fields – and include baseball and softball batting cages. An attached support building will offer a check-in and lobby area, bathrooms and storage space.

The facility can accommodate a wide variety of sports, to include soccer, football, softball, baseball, lacrosse, ultimate Frisbee, rugby, cricket and more.

At the open house, the University community and public are invited to bring their own soccer balls and footballs to kick and throw during the open house. Baseball and softball hitting will not be available during the open house, but attendees are invited to bring baseball and softball gloves and their own baseballs or softballs to play catch during the open house (kids under the age of 18 will be required to have a parent/guardian present and sign a waiver).

The new dome was completed almost a year to the day after Minnesota State Mankato students voted Dec. 4, 2018, to help finance the project’s construction cost. The referendum election approved an additional student fee of 83 cents per credit, capped at $10 per semester.

The student fee contribution and University reserve funds will cover the overall cost of the project.

Pfingsten along with Mavericks Athletic Director Kevin Buisman were closely involved with the day-to-day construction.

Pfingsten said the arrival of the dome has been long awaited. Back in 2007, the original proposal failed in an all-student election.

Sentiment for the dome shifted as students approved a facility that will serve not only the campus but the greater Mankato region.

‘Thirteen years ago plus Kevin Buisman and I were talking about this idea. There’s been times I honestly, I didn’t think it would happen.

Todd Pfingsten, Director of Campus Recreation

The new facility passed city inspection earlier this week with events already slated for December in the dome.

FAST FACTS ABOUT THE NEW SPORTS DOME

  • In the future, the Maverick All-Sports Dome will be inflated from approximately Nov. 1 to May 1. From May 1 to Nov. 1, it will be an unlit outdoor field. 
  • The Maverick All-Sports Dome is 1-1/2 soccer fields in size and is lined for full-field soccer, lacrosse and football as well as short-field soccer. It can be configured into three smaller-sized fields.
  • The facility has two lined softball fields in opposite corners of the dome with three batting cages on one end.
  • A support building attached to the Maverick All-Sports Dome has an entry with tables and chairs, vending machines, bathrooms and a check-in area/office. 
  • Parking at the dome will be in Minnesota State Mankato Orange Lot 22 South.
  • There will be “open dome” times for the general public to pay a fee to access the facility.
  • Hours available for rent when the dome is inflated: weekday mornings; weekdays after 5 p.m.; and weekends, scheduling around University usage.
  • Hours available when the dome is down: there will be rental times during spring, summer and fall, scheduling around University usage.
  • Those interested in renting or with questions may contact Todd Pfingsten, director of campus recreation, at todd.pfingsten@mnsu.edu.

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