SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.
Issue link: https://sportsevents.epubxp.com/i/362723
August 2014 50 www.sportseventsmagazine.com S I T E S E L E C T I O N G U I D E ▼ multi-sport arena. The 3,500-seat Young Arena primarily hosts hockey but can also host wrestling tournaments on its 20,000 square feet of floor space. Riverfront Stadium is a 500-seat stadium that hosts a number of youth, high school and collegiate tournaments. Outside the stadium, Riverfront Sports Park houses six youth baseball/softball diamonds. Contact: Cedar Valley Sports Commission, www.cedarvalley sports.org. Council Bluffs On the banks of the Missouri River in southwest Iowa—across the border from Omaha, Nebraska—is Council Bluffs. The city recently hosted the Xtreme Obstacle Challenge, a 5K and obstacle event, that attracted over 1,500 participants and spectators. Hotel rooms: 2,100+ Major facilities: CB Recreation Complex offers four softball fields, four baseball diamonds, two youth fast pitch fields, 10 full-sized soccer fields and four full-sized football fields. The city also houses a 9,000-seat arena that can host basketball, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics. Convention center: The Mid-America Convention Center offers more than 64,000 square feet of space. Contact: Council Bluffs CVB, www.councilbluffsiowa.com. Des Moines In the heart of the state is Des Moines, Iowa's state capital. Numerous events are hosted in the city, including AAU Junior Olympic Games, NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Early next year, a new facility, the Wellmark YMCA, will open. The new venue will feature a 50-meter Olympic-sized pool and is expected to be designated as one of the only approved training centers for elite triathletes outside the state of Colorado. Hotel rooms: 10,606 Major facilities: Drake University accommodates basketball, volleyball, track and field, tennis, softball and more. Iowa State Fairgrounds houses the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center, which offers 110,000 square feet of space for arena football, wrestling, volleyball, rodeo and other indoor sports. James W. Cownie Soccer Park features 12 outdoor soccer fields, four of which are lighted, and seat- ing for 2,000. Prairie Ridge Sports Complex consists of 15 baseball fields, nine soccer fields, six softball fields and five football fields. Convention center: Iowa Events Center offers 223,000 square feet of space broken into three venues. Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center hosts sports like gymnastics, dance competitions, fencing and archery. Hy-Vee Hall or Wells Fargo Arena are ideal locations for indoor volleyball, basketball or wrestling. Contact: Des Moines CVB, www.catchdesmoines.com. Dubuque Dubuque, in eastern Iowa along the Mississippi River, sits at the junction of three states: Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, a region locally known as the Tri-States. Sports like running, cycling, skiing, skat- ing and wrestling have been hosted here. Hotel rooms: 1,811 Major facilities: Five Flags Center is a 24,000-square-foot, multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of 4,000. The 66,000-square-foot Mystique Ice Arena can seat 3,070. Convention center: Grand River Center offers 86,000 square feet of space. Contact: Dubuque CVB, www.travel dubuque.com. Sioux City Sioux City is located in western Iowa. The city offers a variety of facilities, including a soccer complex, ice rink and baseball and softball fields. Hotel rooms: 2,500+ Major facilities: Dible Soccer Complex houses 17 full-sized fields. IBP Ice Center is a 38,000-square-foot facility for hockey and ice skating. Riverview Complex offers five baseball/softball fields. The Riverside Recreation Complex consists of six youth softball fields and six soccer fields. Convention center: Located in downtown Sioux City, the Sioux City Convention Center offers 50,000 square feet of exhibit space. A skywalk provides access to 200 hotel rooms. Contact: Sioux City Sports Authority, www.siouxcitytourism.com ■ Ames offers space for many sports, including Ultimate Frisbee. Jordan Becquer See ad on pg. 49 Des Moines hosted the 2014 Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympic Games in July. BIG NEWS: