KILLDEER, N.D. — A former fire hall in the heart of Killdeer is being transformed into something entirely new for western North Dakota: an upscale golf simulator facility designed to serve youth athletes, recreational players and the broader community.

Known simply as The Foundation, the new facility is scheduled to open May 1 and will feature multiple state-of-the-art golf simulators, lounge seating, food and beverage options and space for community events. The project is led by the Cowboy Golf Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for young golfers in

Killdeer

and surrounding communities.

While the organization has spent more than a decade supporting youth golf programs, the new facility represents its most ambitious project yet — one that leaders hope will benefit residents of all ages.

“This ultimately comes down to supporting the youth,” said Clayton Johnsen, president of the Cowboy Golf Foundation and sixth-grade math teacher and varsity golf coach at

Killdeer Public School

. “The youth ultimately support the community and the businesses around it. We’re trying to keep people here rather than have them go outside the community.”

A vision more than a decade in the making

For Johnsen, the idea behind The Foundation has been ten years in the making.

As a golf coach, he said one of the biggest challenges student athletes face in western North Dakota is the long winter season and lack of indoor practice facilities. In many cases, teams must share limited gym space with other sports, making meaningful golf practice difficult.

“One thing we struggled with as a golf coach is when the weather is inclement — and the winters are long here,” Johnsen said. “We struggle trying to find space, so we pretty much share the gyms at Killdeer Public School. Hitting indoors like that just isn’t conducive to real-life golf.”

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For years, the team had few options for indoor training besides traveling to Dickinson. The need for a dedicated space for golf practice remained a constant topic of conversation among local supporters of the sport.

The opportunity to make that vision a reality came when city officials approached the foundation about an unused building in town — the former Killdeer

fire hall

.

“The city reached out and said the building was available and asked if we wanted to take a look at it,” Johnsen said. “The board met and everyone loved it. It’s got good bones, tall ceilings, big doors and a great location in the middle of the city.”

Rather than allowing the structure to sit idle, the foundation saw an opportunity to repurpose the space into a modern recreation facility.

Repurposing a community building

The former fire hall offered the ideal footprint for a simulator facility, according to project organizers.

Because the building already includes open floor space and high ceilings, the renovation process has focused primarily on upgrades such as lighting, flooring, technology installation and interior finishes.

Kelly Harju / The Dickinson Press

“The building has strong bones and solid infrastructure,” Johnsen mentioned in a city commission meeting. “Rather than letting it sit idle or drain resources, we have an opportunity to reimagine it into a space that brings people in and supports local activity.”

Renovating an existing structure has also proven to be significantly more cost-effective than constructing a new recreation center.

Upgrades including LED lighting, modern sound systems and epoxy flooring are helping transform the space into a premium facility without the price tag of a full rebuild.

Johnsen said the visual impact will be noticeable the moment visitors walk through the doors.

Kelly Harju / The Dickinson Press

“They’re going to epoxy the whole floor, so that’ll be a big wow factor,” he said. “There will be LED lighting inside and out, and almost 20 TVs throughout the building.”

The facility will also include sliding barn doors and private areas that can be used for corporate gatherings, holiday parties or community events.

A new kind of recreation in western North Dakota

Once completed, The Foundation will feature four golf simulator bays and multiple large projection screens capable of creating immersive golf experiences.

Two of the simulator screens will measure approximately 25 feet wide and curve around the hitting area, creating a 180-degree field of view. Two additional simulators will measure about 18 feet wide.

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But golf will only be part of the experience.

The simulator technology will also allow visitors to play virtual versions of other sports and games, including football, soccer, trapshooting and kickball.

The goal, according to facility manager Billie-Jo Stahl, is to create a welcoming space where people of all ages want to spend time.

“We want to wow people,” Stahl said. “And we want it to become a place for kids to come and hang out.”

In addition to simulator bays, the facility will include lounge seating areas where visitors can relax, socialize and watch television while others play.

Food and beverages will also be available, adding to the social atmosphere.

Contributed / Clayton Johnsen

“Food and drink will be here, and we have sitting areas,” Stahl said. “We also have plans for an outdoor patio where people can relax and enjoy events,” Johansen added.

Community partners are also helping bring unique touches to the facility. For example, Cowboy Golf Foundation board member Jeremy Bird plans to provide smoked meats that can be served during events or gatherings.

Supporting student athletes

Although The Foundation is designed to serve the entire community, youth athletes remain at the heart of the project.

The Cowboy Golf Foundation has spent more than a decade supporting local students who participate in golf.

According to Johnsen, the organization pays for golf course memberships for every student golfer at Killdeer Public School and provides equipment such as clubs and push carts when needed.

“We started this over 10 years ago to give youth opportunities they normally wouldn’t have,” Johnsen said. “We pay for their memberships at Medicine Hole Golf Course, and we provide anything they need on or off the golf course.”

The foundation also awards scholarships to graduating seniors who participate in the golf program.

The new facility will take that support a step further by providing year-round training opportunities.

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With advanced simulator technology, players will be able to analyze swing data, ball flight, club speed and accuracy — tools typically available only at high-end training facilities.

This kind of data-driven practice environment can help student athletes refine their technique and remain competitive even during the winter months.

The facility is also expected to attract visiting teams from across the region.

Because the building is large enough to accommodate an entire team at once, organizers say it could become a training destination for school programs within a 100-mile radius.

“No other town within 100 miles of Killdeer can do the same,” Johnsen said in a commission meeting. “We want this to be the premier golf facility in western North Dakota.”

A gathering place for the community

Beyond athletics, The Foundation is also designed to become a social hub for Killdeer residents.

Organizers envision the facility hosting birthday parties, leagues, tournaments and corporate gatherings throughout the year.

The building’s flexible layout will allow groups to rent space for events ranging from holiday parties to community celebrations.

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Plans also include an outdoor patio area where seasonal events and gatherings can take place.

For many residents, the facility will offer a new form of recreation that isn’t dependent on weather conditions — a particularly valuable feature in North Dakota.

Weather and daylight hours often limit outdoor activities for much of the year. Indoor simulators allow people to enjoy golf and other sports regardless of the season.

Families, students, seniors and visitors will all be able to participate.

A nonprofit mission focused on community

Despite the scale of the project, Johnsen emphasizes that the foundation itself is nonprofit and community-driven.

“Our foundation is nonprofit, so everything we do comes back to the kids and the community,” he said. “We’re not benefiting off this. It’s about giving people opportunities.”

Looking ahead, the foundation hopes the success of the facility could lead to future expansion.

Contributed / Clayton Johnsen

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One long-term vision is the possibility of adding additional space dedicated specifically to youth programming.

If that happens, the public portion of the facility could eventually operate around the clock through a membership system that allows users to reserve simulator time online and access the building through secure entry.

“It’s all about building something that the community can be proud of,” Johnsen said. “We want people from Dunn County and beyond to see this and feel like it’s something special.”

As the finishing touches are completed — from flooring and paint to lighting and sound systems — anticipation continues to build for the facility’s grand opening.

For many in Killdeer, The Foundation represents more than just a golf simulator.

It is a project rooted in community pride, youth development and the belief that even a small town can create something truly unique.

And if organizers have their way, the former fire hall will soon become one of the most popular gathering places in western North Dakota.