BEMIDJI, Minn. - Esports has taken the next step to powering on at Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College. University and college leaders, Paul Bunyan Communications representatives and members of the community ascended to the top floor of Bridgeman Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 4, to officially unveil the new GigaZone Esports Lounge.

"Esports is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country," BSU and NTC President John L. Hoffman said during the ceremony. "We know we've got a lot of gamers on campus. We didn't want to see all that gaming happening by themselves in their room. Let's make this a social experience and bring folks together."

The launch of an esports program was first announced at the GigaZone Gaming Championship and TechXpo in April 2025. Since then, crews have been hard at work creating a dedicated, cutting-edge space on campus for members to compete.

The renovated third-floor lounge has four total rooms. That includes a primary center with nearly two dozen gaming stations, a podcasting room, smaller gaming rooms and a lounge area for relaxing. The space will formally open to students — both at Bemidji State and Northwest Tech — in the spring semester.

Hoffman called the space one of the top gaming spaces in the Midwest. He credited the School of Technology, Art & Design's faculty for their vision, energy, and innovation to bring the dream to life. He also expressed gratitude to Paul Bunyan Communications for their continued partnership in the project, emphasizing that they were the perfect match as a local business that is also a national leader in their industry.

Drew Graham, chair of TAD and the esports project lead, said the project is a culmination of many invested partners, including BSU leaders and PBC. And the "blazing fast" internet is the cherry on top.

"This is something that students want, and it's turned out to be a fantastic space," Graham said. "Students are excited to use it, and they're just clamoring to get inside here."

Graham said the hope is to field a varsity team that begins competing within the next year and a half. Until then, the team will operate as a club-level sport. And as with any BSU Athletics program, esports will also incorporate wellness into its model for success.

"Yes, we're going to have a lot of fun and be competitive," Hoffman said. "But, like all of Beaver Athletics, it's going to be tied to academics, character, and competition. Building those life skills are going to set folks apart."

Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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