University of Jamestown Prepares Replacement Training Bubble for Winter

University of Jamestown crews, aided by student athletes and staff, spent November 12 preparing the site for inflation of a replacement Nelson Family Bubble, the university reported the following day. The original inflatable practice facility was ripped during severe storms that struck June 20 and 21, leaving the campus without its primary seasonal covered training space for several months.

Photos accompanying the report showed students and staff removing the old structure and readying the new dome for inflation, and university officials provided timing and expectations for the replacement to be erected in time to support winter practices. The arrival of the replacement is being handled through the university’s broader athletic and campus projects, signaling an institutional priority to restore training capacity ahead of the colder months.

The gap between the June storm and the November preparations totaled roughly four and a half months, a span during which teams had to adapt scheduling and indoor practice options. Restoring the bubble will matter to coaches and athletes who rely on covered, controlled environments for consistent practice time during North Dakota winters. For local residents, the bubble also affects campus events that can draw families and visitors, and it helps maintain the rhythm of athletic seasons that contribute to community life in Jamestown.

Beyond immediate logistics, the replacement effort underscores how extreme weather events can disrupt campus infrastructure and force rapid capital and operational responses. By routing the new dome through planned campus projects, the university appears to be balancing short term needs with longer term facility planning. That approach reduces the risk of repeated disruption in future severe weather and may inform maintenance priorities and budget allocations going forward.

The timing also has economic and programmatic implications. Restored practice space helps student athletes maintain training schedules, which supports competitive performance and recruitment. It also reduces reliance on off campus or rented facilities that can carry additional costs and scheduling complications. For the surrounding community, smoother operations mean more predictable campus activity, which can support local services and small businesses during the athletic season.

With crews preparing the replacement for inflation on November 12, the university anticipated putting the new bubble in place for winter use. If that schedule holds, the facility will provide enclosed practice capacity for the university’s teams throughout the cold months, restoring a key asset for campus athletics and community events after the June storm damage.