Bemidji State cuts the ribbon on GigaZone Esports Lounge

BEMIDJI — The third floor of Bridgeman Hall is home to a new hub of innovation and technology.

Mere months after its announcement,

Bemidji State University

held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday to unveil its newly designed esports lounge that will house BSU’s esports program.

Announced during the GigaZone Gaming Championship and TechXpo in April,

the space is a result of a prolonged partnership between BSU,

Northwest Technical College

and Paul Bunyan Communications.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

The latter hosted its inaugural GigaZone Gaming Championship in 2016, which Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor Brian Bissonette credited as its first foray into gaming.

Nine years later, the esports lounge’s ribbon-cutting would provide a full-circle moment for Paul Bunyan Communications as well as for Bissonette himself.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

“I’m a BSU alum and I played video games in what was Maple Hall — playing on Atari, Sega Genesis, Nintendo … We’ve come a long way,” Bissonette said. “One of the reasons we’ve embraced gaming is because we’ve built an all-fiber optic network, and one of the many advantages of having a network like that is in the world of gaming.

“About a year ago, BSU had approached us about the potential for what this has become, the GigaZone Esports Lounge. We’re super excited to see it come to fruition.”

BSU and NTC President John Hoffman noted an ever-increasing popularity of esports and opportunity for competition as well as social interaction.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

“We’ve got a lot of gamers on campus, and we didn’t want all of that gaming happening by themselves in their dorm rooms,” Hoffman said. “Let’s make this a social experience, bring folks together. Let’s add a wellness component as we’re thinking about this as an extension of (BSU’s Technology, Art and Design Department) and our athletic programs.”

Housing the lounge on Bridgeman’s third floor proved logical since it had been underutilized before renovations, Hoffman added.

“This is a broader conversation for Bemidji State. The process of facility planning and future facility needs are going to look quite different than what they have in the past 10 years,” Hoffman said. “This is an example of doing just that.”

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

The lounge includes separate, dedicated spaces for PC and console gaming, a broadcasting and podcasting center, and an artificial intelligence lab. The PC gaming arena is the largest of the four facilities with 20 dedicated gaming stations, a team meeting table, storage lockers for team members and a lounge area.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

The console arena includes four stations that can accommodate multiple players for same-screen cooperative games, along with lockers for storage. A broadcasting suite includes a conference table for podcast production and a two-seat esports broadcasting booth, while the AI lab features three workstations and a conference table.

All furnishings in the lounge were provided by Spectrum Industries, a Wisconsin-based company that has equipped college and university facilities across the United States.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Officially opening to the student body this coming spring, plans to enter the competitive realm are set for fall 2026.

“There are some students for whom traditional sports are not what they want to do,” Paul Bunyan Communications Chief Technology Officer Leo Anderson said. “This will still allow them to compete on a collegiate level where they get the same benefits out of their experience.”

Anderson also reflected on the social aspect of the GigaZone Gaming Championship and the collaborative effort to bring similar experiences to the BSU campus.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

“The first year we had our gaming event, we had somebody come up to us and he was borderline in tears because he finally felt connected,” Anderson added. “Gaming by yourself can be a little insular, but if you’re with other people, you can be connected.”

With the esports lounge prepared for student gamers, Hoffman hopes the facility can serve as an effective recruitment tool alongside its multifaceted benefits.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

“This is something that folks need to know about, and not just for the fun of it,” Hoffman left off. “We’re reminding folks that technology, computer science, artificial intelligence and our emphasis on adding human intelligence … it all convenes in a way that will help elevate the institution with this great program.”

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Daltyn Lofstrom is a reporter at the Bemidji Pioneer focusing on education and community stories.