Iowa Events Center Des Moines, Iowa, USA

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The Iowa Events Center is a public events complex located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

Venue Name: Iowa Events Center Des Moines
Category: Venue
Location: Iowa Events Center Des Moines – 730 Third Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 USA
Phone: 515-564-8000
Email: iowaeventscenter[at]gmail.com
www: iowaeventscenter.com
Timings: 09:00 AM – 17:00 PM

Iowa Events Center Des Moines: Overview

The Iowa Events Center is a public events complex located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

History:

The Iowa Events Center consists of the existing Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, the existing Polk County Convention Complex, the new Hy-Vee Hall, and the new Wells Fargo Arena. The new buildings were designed by Populous (formerly HOK Sport Venue Event), who were also the architects of the renovated Principal Park in Des Moines, the United Center in Chicago, and many other arenas and stadiums in the United States. The project cost $217 million, making this the largest public project in Iowa history. Funding for the project came from Polk County and its cities, private donations, and the Vision Iowa Fund that Gov. Tom Vilsack signed into law in 2000. Gambling profits from the Prairie Meadows casino in nearby Altoona are expected to pay off the debt.

Construction began in early 2002 after Polk County reached a project-labor agreement with local labor unions that guaranteed favorable wages and working conditions in exchange for no work stoppages. Polk County was soon sued by right to work supporters who claimed that the use of a project-labor agreement on a public project violated Iowa’s right to work laws. The lawsuit halted construction for several months, but on November 14, 2002, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in Polk County’s favor.

On April 22, 2004, Polk County agreed to transfer management of the Iowa Events Center to Global Spectrum, a Comcast subsidiary, of Philadelphia. Global Spectrum soon announced that the new Iowa Stars hockey team would be the center’s primary tenant. In September 2004, Global Spectrum announced that ticket purchases will be done through Patron Solutions, another Comcast subsidiary, instead of Ticketmaster.

Wells Fargo Arena:

Wells Fargo Arena, which is owned by Polk County and professionally managed by OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a 17,000 seat arena that opened July 12, 2005. The arena is part of the Iowa Events Center complex, which also includes Hy-Vee Hall and the Community Choice Convention Center. Each year Wells Fargo Arena hosts the Iowa High School State Wrestling and Girls and Boys Basketball Tournaments. Three professional sports teams also call the arena home, including the NBA G-League’s Iowa Wolves, the AHL’s Iowa Wild and the IFL’s Iowa Barnstormers.

In addition to sporting events, Wells Fargo Arena hosts world-class entertainers and is consistently ranked as a top 100 venue worldwide in terms of concert attendance. Recent artists who have played Wells Fargo Arena include Morgan Wallen, Elton John, Eagles, Chris Stapleton, and Justin Bieber. The arena also hosts family shows, including Disney On Ice, Monster Jam, the Harlem Globetrotters and others.

HY-VEE Hall & Community Choice Convention Center

Centrally located at the intersection of Interstates 80 & 35 in Downtown Des Moines and minutes from the Des Moines International Airport, the Iowa Events Center provides clean, state-of-the-art facilities that are flexible to meet the needs of events of all types and sizes. It is well-suited for conventions, meetings, tradeshows, sporting, social and entertainment events from 10 to 17,100 people. The convention center facility boasts the state’s largest ballroom, 150,000 square feet of continuous exhibit space, 37 meeting rooms and is tax-exempt!