The Weitz Co. has been granted the contract to build the $101 million Iowa Events Center Hotel at Fifth Avenue and Park Street.

The historic Des Moines firm will work with local architectural and engineering firms for the build-out of the 330-room hotel, a signature development that proponents believe is a crucial, and so-far missing, element in the city’s evolution.

Minnesota-based M.A. Mortenson Co., the initial general contractor, had worked with city, county and business leaders in developing a design and financing package for the center, which will include conference space and a restaurant, but its financial requirements exceeded what local supporters thought they could afford.

“To be given the opportunity to re-engage and make this thing finally happen is a huge deal for us,” said Weitz Executive Vice President Mike Tousley. “To be a local player, and we’re offering up a local design team and financing group. From the community standpoint, this is a huge win.”

Weitz, which has a portfolio that includes projects ranging from the Hotel Fort Des Moines to the renovation of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden and countless signature projects in between, was part of a team that attempted to build a convention center hotel in 2005. 

It also made a pitch in 2013 when local leaders were seeking development teams for the present iteration of the convention center hotel.

RDG Planning & Design will work as lead designer on the project, while DLR Group, a national firm with an office in Urbandale, will lend its expertise as a designer of hospitality properties, Tousley said.

The hotel flag and management company have not been selected.

“There is still a lot of work to do,” Tousley said.

A big chunk of that work is bringing the project in at an affordable price tag.

“This isn’t a slam dunk,” Tousley said. “But there’s no one more committed to making this thing a reality than us.”

Supporters are waiting for final approval from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to approve at least $36 million in rebates from sales tax and hotel/motel taxes that is a crucial piece of the financing package for the project.

The site for the hotel originally was purchased by the nonprofit Des Moines Redevelopment Co., and later sold to Polk County. The county will transfer ownership to the nonprofit Iowa Events Center Hotel Corp., which will own and operate the facility.

Knapp Properties Inc. President and CEO Gerry Neugent was the appointed founding director of the IEC Hotel Corp.

The board will have five members appointed by Polk County and two appointed by the Des Moines City Council. Neugent is a county appointment. Though no other names have been made public, three other people have said they will accept an appointment by the county and another individual has been asked to consider the appointment, said Polk County Administrator Mark Wandro.

The Des Moines City Council is expected to vote May 4 on its two appointments to the IEC Hotel Corp., City Councilwoman Christine Hensley said.

Related Convention Center Coverage:

How the financing will work on the convention center hotel

When private investors didn’t ante up for a $100 million hotel, local leaders found a way to make it happen. Take an indepth look at how the financing will work for the convention center hotel.   Read more >>>

Convention center hotel plans come into focus

Plans for a $100 million convention center hotel were unveiled Feb. 23 to the Des Moines City Council, which will be asked to approve the preliminary terms of an economic development package for the project. Read the details here >>>

Read about the unique way officials secured $20 million in private financing from about 40 foreign investors.  Read more >>>

Background on M.A. Mortenson Co., the initial general contractor

This May 23, 2014 story took an indepth look at Minnesota-based M.A. Mortenson Co., which at the time was putting in place plans for long-term growth in Des Moines.   Read more >>>