The Polk County Board of Supervisors could soon vote on a plan to expand the Iowa Events Center by renovating Veterans Memorial Auditorium into a second-floor ballroom and breakout meeting space. RDG Planning & Design presented the proposal at a supervisors meeting this morning.

The new plan calls for removing the 7,200 seats in the auditorium and adding a second floor to the building, which would bring all of the Events Center’s convention space under one roof, leave the county with land to the south of Hy-Vee Hall to expand in the future and not reduce parking space near the facility. The bottom portion of Vets would remain exhibit hall space.

The project would cost about $33 million and take two to three years to complete.

“I think it’s a brilliant idea to utilize an existing building as long as it accommodates all the needs that we need with Global Spectrum and the (Greater Des Moines Visitors and Convention Bureau),” said Supervisor Angela Connolly.

The CVB and Global Spectrum, manager of the Events Center, have stressed the need to bring the Polk County Convention Complex’s ballroom and meeting space closer to Hy-Vee Hall to stay competitive in the convention business. The proposal would come close to the 60,000 square feet of new meeting rooms and ballroom space that the organizations said they need at Hy-Vee Hall. The move also could save Global Spectrum about $500,000 in efficiencies and avoid a $10 million to $12 million renovation of the Convention Complex’s current facilities.

Under a different proposal, the Convention Complex would be turned into 21 courtrooms and other court-related spaces to alleviate overcrowding at the Polk County Courthouse. Renovations to the complex and the courthouse would cost about $60 million, compared with the $132 million proposed in a bond referendum that failed this year.

To cover Hy-Vee Hall’s expansion, the county would likely extend its debt on the entire complex by another three years, continuing to pay $14 million per year from gaming revenues.

RDG considered seven sites for the expansion of Hy-Vee Hall. Vets has recently been updated with new electrical work and a roof as well as improvements to the kitchen.

“I think this board is making a decision to protect the Iowa Events Center, to stay competitive in the convention business and to serve the community,” said Supervisor E.J. Giovannetti.