The Block
Fairbanks' Next Sports & Entertainment Center
No new taxes. No general obligation debt. A 3,600-seat arena to replace the aging Carlson Center.
Vision
The Block is a proposed 3,600-seat multipurpose sports and entertainment center designed for a 50+ year lifespan in Interior Alaska's climate. Earth-sheltered, six levels, permanent NHL-regulation ice. It would be owned by a new nonprofit, the North Star Civic Authority.
This is a modern facility that converts between hockey, concerts, conventions, banquets, and trade shows, hosting far more types of events across far more days of the year. Concert capacity with floor seating reaches approximately 5,000.
Add a 90,000-square-foot publicly accessible rooftop park, permanent year-round ice, LEED Silver sustainability targets, and a building engineered to last half a century.
3,600
Seats
90,000
Sq ft rooftop park
50+
Year design lifespan
NHL
Regulation ice (year-round)
LEED Silver
Sustainability target
Visualizations
Why Now
The Carlson Center opened in 1990. After more than three decades, deferred maintenance is compounding and the Borough subsidizes operations from the general fund every year. That subsidy grows as the building deteriorates. Meanwhile, Fairbanks loses events, conventions, and touring acts to markets with modern facilities. At the same time, the Borough is closing recreation centers it can no longer afford to operate, leaving residents with fewer options for indoor sports and fitness in a climate that demands them.
A full renovation would cost tens of millions with no guarantee of modern capability and no extension of the facility's useful life. A Borough-funded replacement would require new taxes or new debt. Neither option has gained traction.
The Block is a third path: a private partner commits its own capital and leads a joint capital campaign. The community gets a new sports and entertainment center without the tax burden, replacing the Borough's general fund subsidy with civic venue operations funded by incremental tax revenue from adjacent private development.
Community
These aren't promises. They'll be written into a binding agreement, audited every year, and independently verified every three years.
30 civic days per year at cost
The Borough gets 30 days annually at cost-recovery rates (direct costs only, no markup) for community celebrations, public safety events, civic ceremonies, and Borough-sponsored programming.
Discounted access for youth, schools, nonprofits, and military
Reduced rates for K-12 schools, youth sports organizations, nonprofits, active-duty military, and veterans. Priority booking for youth tournaments. A minimum of 50 youth tournament or event days per year.
Year-round public ice
Permanent ice means UAF hockey has a modern home venue, community hockey leagues have consistent access, and public skating is available year-round.
Jobs with local hire commitments
An estimated 400 construction jobs and 100+ permanent positions, with local hire targets, workforce development coordination through UAF and trade unions, and an aspirational target of 30% of construction contract value to FNSB-based businesses. Carlson Center employees get priority consideration for Block positions.
Visitor spending across Fairbanks
Tournaments, concerts, and conventions bring overnight visitors who spend at hotels, restaurants, and businesses across the borough. A modern, year-round venue means more events, more room-nights, and broader economic activity than the Carlson Center can support today.
Public art commitment
0.5% of hard construction costs dedicated to public art, with priority for Alaska and Indigenous artists.
Governance
The Block will be owned by the North Star Civic Authority (NSCA), a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit. DX/DT LLC (operating as North Star Grand Lodge) serves as the exclusive operator under a management agreement with performance standards, independent audits, and termination for cause.
Independent oversight
Every transaction between NSCA and the Sponsor requires approval by independent, disinterested directors with a fair-market-value opinion.
Borough representation
One Borough-appointed board seat from the start of construction, growing to Borough plus two jointly-selected community directors once operations begin.
Annual appropriation control
All Borough operating support is subject to Assembly vote each year. The Assembly never surrenders its power of the purse. If the project underperforms, community benefit commitments adjust proportionally, and the Borough's reporting requirements include annual audited impact data with independent verification every three years.
What Happens to Carlson
Fairbanks is losing recreation facilities. The Borough closed the Mary Siah Recreation Center in 2025. The Joy Community Center faces the same budget pressure. A proposed new recreation center carries a $90 million price tag and is at least a decade away. Meanwhile, 4,500 community surveys confirmed what residents already know: indoor recreation in a place with minus-40 winters is not optional.
The Carlson Center is a Borough-owned building with a 35,000-square-foot arena floor, over 9,000 square feet of meeting space, and mechanical systems that just completed a major renovation in 2023–2024. One option worth exploring: converting it into a community recreation center. A full-size indoor turf field for soccer, lacrosse, and flag football could fit on the existing arena floor. The remaining footprint could support basketball and volleyball courts, fitness facilities, a walking and running track, and the meeting rooms already in place.
New construction for a comparable facility runs $300 to $350 per square foot. Converting an existing building with updated mechanicals would cost significantly less. The developer is prepared to invest up to $20 million in private capital toward the conversion — pickleball courts, indoor turf fields, youth sports leagues, and other year-round recreational programming, open to the public.
None of this happens until The Block is open, and the Borough retains full control of the Carlson Center until then. The specific reuse would be determined through community input and a detailed conversion study.
What Happens Next
Public input sessions begin. Design development and cost study completed.
Construction. Approximately 400 jobs over the build period.
The Block opens. Carlson Center transitions to new community uses.
FAQ
Common questions about The Block, its funding, governance, and what it means for Fairbanks.
Have Your Say
This project will go through multiple rounds of public input and Assembly review before any financial commitments are made.
Watch for announcements through Borough communication channels and local media, or contact your Assembly representative directly.