It looks like the show will go on at the Urban Plains Center in southwest Fargo.
Arena officials were given verbal approval this morning for occupancy by a Fargo city inspector for tonight's Fargo Force hockey game.
"There's a few little odds and ends to clean up," Commercial Building Inspector John Shea said.
Shea said the building can be open for hockey "and for that gal that's coming Sunday," but won't get the official certificate of occupancy until all of the construction on the arena is completed sometime after Sunday's concert.
The gal coming to Fargo is the singer Jewel, who will be the first artist to play a concert at Fargo's newest venue.
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Tonight's United States Hockey League game will be packed. Nearly all of the 5,000 seats in the arena were sold as of two days ago. Attempts to contact the box office today to find out if all seats had been sold were unsuccessful.
Parking may be a problem for those that don't plan to arrive early, and UP Center staff and Fargo police urge event-goers to carpool and be patient.
UP Center staff said Wednesday they expected to have 1,000 parking spots on-site with the completion of an 800-spot lot west of the arena today. Another 500-spot lot was also expected to be finished just northwest of the Mexican Village restaurant about a quarter mile east of the arena.
Another 1,225 parking spots are also planned off site, police and arena staff said.
Parking with free shuttle buses to the area will also be available at nearby Southwest Arena, Tharaldson Field, Anderson Softball Complex and PRACS Institute. Parking with shuttle service will also be available from Fargo bar J.T. Cigarros and Hooligan's in West Fargo, UP Center staff said.
Signs will be up letting event-goers know whether lots are full and police and EVAC will be available for traffic control, city and UP Center officials said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Helmut Schmidt at (701) 241-5583
