News Release: Opus Announces Completion of Gerdin Fieldhouse for Athletics and Wellness

DECORAH, Iowa, May 28, 2026 – Opus today announced the April 2026 completion of Gerdin Fieldhouse for Athletics and Wellness at Luther College. The facility was celebrated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 9, 2026, attended by Luther College President Brad Chamberlain and Michael Gerdin ’92, lead project donor and alumnus.

“We’ve partnered with Luther College on every construction project they’ve pursued over the last 25 years – from academic facilities to music halls to an aquatic center, a recreation center, upgraded football and baseball stadiums and more. Over that time, we’ve come to know just how important Norse Athletics are to this school community and to the entire Decorah community, too,” said Jeff Smith, senior vice president of construction with Opus. “That Norse pride made this project especially rewarding.”

Built in 1963, Luther’s 200,000-square-foot Regents Center had long housed the Luther Norse athletic teams. For those teams to remain competitive, however, the facility required both a major renovation and a 15,787-square-foot expansion, all of which was made possible through a historic $10 million gift from Michael and Nicole Gerdin and the Gerdin Charitable Foundation.

Work on the Gerdin Fieldhouse began in August 2024 and included construction of a new 5,787-square-foot public lobby on the facility’s north end that includes a new concession stand, restrooms and a Hall of Fame space highlighting Norse athletic achievements and student abilities. In addition, Opus built a new 10,200-square-foot wrestling training complex and completed extensive renovations to the existing basketball and volleyball arena. Athlete training and rehab facilities, locker rooms and meeting and study spaces for all 21 Norse athletic teams were also updated. The teams began using the facility this past winter.

Opus was the design-builder on the project and worked in partnership with RDG Planning & Design.

About Opus
Opus is a group of commercial real estate development, design and construction companies headquartered in Minneapolis with offices and projects across the country. Opus operates as a vertically integrated multidisciplinary team with expertise in development, capital markets, finance, project management, construction, architectural design and engineering services. Opus includes Opus Holding and its operating subsidiaries: Opus Development Company, Opus Design Build and Opus AE Group. Specializing in industrial, multifamily residential, office, retail and institutional projects, Opus offers the unique combination of a design-build project delivery approach, driven by a client-centered team of experts and backed by enduring commitment to the community. For more information, visit www.opus-group.com and follow Opus on LinkedIn and Instagram.

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