Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa)

For the arena of this name at Arizona State University, see Wells Fargo Arena (Tempe, Arizona). For the arena in Philadelphia, see Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia).
Wells Fargo Arena
"The Well"
Address 730 3rd Street
Location Des Moines, Iowa
Coordinates 41°35′33.6″N 93°37′16.1″W / 41.592667°N 93.621139°W / 41.592667; -93.621139Coordinates: 41°35′33.6″N 93°37′16.1″W / 41.592667°N 93.621139°W / 41.592667; -93.621139
Owner Polk County
Operator Global Spectrum
Capacity 16,980 (center stage concerts)
16,285 (end stage concerts)
16,110 (basketball)
15,181 (hockey)
Surface Multi-surface
Construction
Broke ground December 18, 2002[1]
Opened July 12, 2005
Construction cost $117 million
($142 million in 2016 dollars[2])
Architect HOK Sport
Renaissance Design Group
Brooks Borg Skiles
Structural engineer Thornton Tomasetti[3]
Services engineer FSC, Inc.[4]
General contractor Weitz/Turner[1]
Tenants
Iowa Stars/Chops (AHL) (2005–2009)
Iowa Energy (NBA D-League) (2007–present)
Iowa Barnstormers (IFL) (2008–present)
Iowa Wild (AHL) (2013–present)
Website
http://www.iowaeventscenter.com

Wells Fargo Arena is a 16,980-seat multi-purpose arena in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Part of the Iowa Events Center, the arena opened on July 12, 2005, at a cost of $117 million.[5] Named for title sponsor Wells Fargo, the arena replaced the aging Veterans Memorial Auditorium as the Des Moines area's primary venue for sporting events and concerts. The first event held at the arena was Tony Hawk's Boom-Boom Huck Jam, on July 14, while its first concert, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with The Black Crowes, was held on July 18.[5]

Wells Fargo Arena seats 15,181 for hockey games, 16,110 for basketball games, and as many as 16,980 for concerts.[6] It also features the Principal River's Edge Restaurant, which provides views of the Des Moines River and the Iowa State Capitol. The restaurant opened on October 6, 2005, coinciding with the Iowa Stars' inaugural home game.[7]

The Arena is also connected to the rest of the Iowa Events Center as well as Downtown Des Moines through the city's extensive Skywalk system, providing easy access.

Usage

Wells Fargo Arena is home to the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League, the Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League and the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League. From 2005 until 2009, Wells Fargo Arena served as the home of the American Hockey League's Iowa Chops. The arena is notable for hosting the inaugural game of the reincarnation of the Arena Football League on April 2, 2010, between the Barnstormers and Chicago Rush, televised nationally by NFL Network.[8]

The Iowa Barnstormers playing against the Tampa Bay Storm during the 2013 season.

It was the host for the First and Second Round games for the 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament and served as a regional site 2012 tournament. In 2013, it hosted the NCAA Wrestling Team Championship.

It has hosted the state high school wrestling and basketball tournaments since 2006 and the Big Four Classic, a doubleheader featuring the state's four men's Division I teams, since 2012.

The arena hosted the 2011 NBA D-League Finals, which saw the Iowa Energy win their first title on their home court and set the D-League attendance record with 14,036 fans in the arena for Game 2.

In 2016, the arena hosted first and second round games for the South and East regionals of the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament and the games featured the likes of perennial college basketball powerhouse schools Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana and Connecticut.[9]

Tenants

Current tenants

Former tenants

References

  1. 1 2 "The Project Labor Agreement for the Iowa Events Center" (PDF). Public Interest Institute. March 2006. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  2. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Leadership: Paul Fu". Thornton Tomasetti. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Ali Alaman P. E." (PDF). FSC, Inc. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Dobbs, Kevin (July 13, 2005). "It's An Amazing Place". The Des Moines Register. p. 1B. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Iowa Events Center - Arena Info - Wells Fargo Arena". Global Spectrum. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
  7. ↑ Dobbs, Kevin (September 13, 2005). "Hockey Meets Fine Dining". The Des Moines Register. p. 4B. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  8. ↑ "NFL Network Names Announcers for Arena Football League Debut" (Press release). Arena Football League. March 29, 2010. Archived from the original on October 25, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Your definitive guide to March Madness in Des Moines". The Des Moines Register. March 15, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines).
Events and tenants
Preceded by
Toyota Center (Houston)		 Home of the
Iowa Wild
2013 – present 		Succeeded by
current
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