Dockside Entertainment is coming February 2024!
According to Josh Janzen, who is superintendent of Devils Lake Parks and Recreation, the construction kickoff meeting was held yesterday, July 12, with Construction Engineers, the project manager; JLG, the designer; and the contractors all to be working on the city’s Dockside Entertainment facility. They’ll be meeting regularly every two weeks as work amps up in the former Wally’s/Leever’s Foods South building.
Janzen says it will be done in phases, we’re in the pre-construction phase right now, going into phase two which is demolition. There are interior walls, countertops and desks to be taken down and a protective firewall to be constructed. Then, about the end of August, the construction phase really begins and should last up to and through January 2024.
They figure if all goes well the facility should be ready to open very close to Feb. 1, Janzen called it “a soft opening.”
Ground Breaking Ceremony
Expect to hear about an official Ground Breaking Ceremony to be held quite soon, although he wasn’t quite sure of the date, yet, it will be soon. Perhaps sometime before the end of this month.
What’s inside?
Plans have changed about building a movie theater in Dockside, with renovations going forward on the city’s present movie theater project. And Janzen says they haven’t decided yet what’s going in that space in the facility, but most of the other spaces are dedicated.
Bowling Alley
There will be a bowling alley with six lanes, not your “regular” bowling alley but a more modern version of it called String Bowling or “Pin set” bowling. The equipment for this kind of bowling is believed to be easier to maintain, repair and requires less space than the traditional bowling equipment. They plan to offer “hyperbowling” which is a fast-paced, high scoring kind of bowling-meets video games experience.
Pickle Ball/Multi-use Courts
They’ve planned space for playing Pickle Ball as well as other court games like basketball, volleyball and the like.
Walking Track
There will be an indoor walking track with material that will be “walker friendly.” As it stands now, the track will only be for walkers, however, that could change in the future allowing runners to also enjoy the indoor track.
Arcade
A row of arcade games will be along the wall beside the bowling alley.
Indoor Playground
A place for chilldren to play indoors is planned for the space beside the Pickle Ball Court.
Sports Simulators
Not “just” golf, but Five Sports Simulators fill the center of the facility and they will feature 100 different games.
What else?
There will be a Check In location, Concession Stand (much like the one they have now in the Burdick Arena), tables and chairs will line both sides of the bowling alley, TVs showing various sporting events will line one of the walls, a couple of lounge areas, restrooms and two Community Rooms you can rent out for a birthday party or baby shower or family reunion are along the south wall of the building. Music will also be part of the Dockside Entertainment experience for walkers and bowlers, etc.
The Park and Rec Offices will be located in the building, as well, and Janzen says a Facility Manager and/or personnel will be on site at all times when the facility is open.
Many of the specific details have yet to be worked out, and they will be throughout the construction phase that’s starting soon.
They have received generous donations from the City of Devils Lake, Forward Devils Lake, Ramsey County and the Bremer Foundation but there remains some debt that the city is financing for the project through bonds.
Plus, Janzen did mention they are always looking for sponsorship and additional funding, so if you or your organization happen to have some cash burning a hole in your pockets, or if you should win the lottery, think about providing something special for this facility planned to make life a little more enjoyable for our community.
He also added that although they do not have plans yet to fill the space that would have had the movie theater in it, seen below in the upper left hand corner of the interior, he’d like to see them be flexible about it and imagine the possibilities. Who knows what could go in that space before everything is done?
We at the Devils Lake Journal will continue to give you updates on that and this whole project as it progresses.
