The county-owned Iowa Events Center, operated by Spectra, posted a $1.9 million profit for the 2018-19 budget year — the 14th straight year projections were exceeded.

Company representatives, who presented their results to the Polk County Board of Supervisors today, said the complex drew 1.1 million guests who attended more than 467 events. 

Events center General Manager Chris Connolly presented an oversized check to the county supervisors at their meeting this morning. 

Board Chairman Tom Hockensmith said the decision to build the events center — which includes Wells Fargo Arena, Hy-Vee Hall and the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center — happened about a year before he joined the board. Current supervisors Angela Connelly and Robert Brownell were heavily involved.

Hockensmith, who has worked in the labor arena for years, was pretty sure the place should be managed in-house by the county. But after county officials toured other sites around the county, “it became abundantly clear to me that we had no business running a facility like that internally,” he said.

Hockensmith said most events centers around the country are subsidized by taxpayers as a way to promote the market. But Spectra has routinely posted a profit. 

Supervisor Angela Connolly said the profits are reinvested in the center, making projects such as the current $1.1 million installation of a new sound system possible. Her one-word response to today’s big check: “Hallelelujah!” (Note: She is not related to Chris Connolly.)

Part of the success came from high-profile events that included the first and second rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in March. Wells Fargo Arena also hosted its first NHL preseason game, with the Minnesota Wild taking on the St. Louis Blues. The game drew 13,000 fans, and the Blues went on to win the Stanley Cup. 

The convention center also had a strong year, topping the budget for gross revenues by $1.7 million. 

New this fiscal year were the USA Gymnastics Championships in July and the National PEO Convention coming in September. The center also will hold the Iowa Caucus Media Filing Center and the Iowa Power Farm Show.