RSF Sports Complex June Update

City Leadership Visits Area Sports Facilities

This past month Ben Boldt, Scott Ramsey, Zack Wood and Ed Hruska did site visits to 4 sports and recreation complexes in Iowa - Grimes, West Des Moines, Coralville and Bettendorf and 2 complexes in Wisconsin - Wisconsin Dells and Mauston.  Here’s a summary of each site.

GrimesPlex in Grimes, IA.  The complex is a 50-acre outdoor site which opened in the fall of 2023.  GrimesPlex is a part of a 200-acre multi-use entertainment district called the Hope District, which is currently under construction. The complex includes retail, restaurants and hotel development. It has 6 Pods (184,000 sq. ft. of turf each), 12 full size Soccer Fields, 18 Baseball / Softball Fields, 2 Concession areas, Restroom buildings, 1,225 parking stalls and coming soon will be 36 Batting Cages and 36 Bullpens.

Mid America Energy Rec Plex in West Des Moines, IA. The total project cost $59 million dollars. Most of the funds are from city bonds, hotel/motel tax revenue and corporate and private donations ($10M). It is owned & operated by the city. 3 full-sized Basketball courts, 3 full sized Pickleball courts, the indoor field is a synthetic turf area with space for a full-size soccer field measuring 355’x245’. The turf area includes scoreboards, a sound system and divider curtains to segment the field into three separate areas. Two rinks on other side - Smaller 300 seat practice rink & larger 2,500 seat arena.

Xtream Arena in Coralville, IA. The arena was built by the non-profit ArenaCo and operated by Spectra/OVG – who has all P&L responsibility. Two main venues – a 4700 seat arena and a 4 court Basketball/Volleyball field house. The group was able to meet with leadership to visit about how they got to where they are and how the private management is working.  The Oakview Group and Sports Academy (OVG) that has been approved by the Rochester City Council as Operations and Programming Services for the Regional Sports and Recreation Complex worked with this complex also.  

TBK Bank Sports Complex in Quad Cities, Bettendorf, IA. The 75-acre complex opened in 2018 and has attracted thousands of kids and families with facilities for Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Basketball, Gymnastics and Volleyball.  It also offers a two-story bowling alley and arcade, fitness gym, restaurant and bar on the premises. Adjacent are a hotel and 15 retail shops and restaurants. Indoor Sports Complex: 6.27 acres (273,000 sq. ft). Outdoor Sports Complex: 75 acres. Less than four years after opening, the TBK Bank Sports Complex is gearing up for a multimillion-dollar expansion project. Feb. 16, 2022 project leaders unveiled plans for roughly $75 million in additions to the current complex. Once completed, the expansion will add on another 109 acres.

Woodside Sports Complex in Wisconsin Dells, WI.  It consists of 6 synthetic turf multi- purpose fields, 4 synthetic turf Baseball/Softball fields, 2 grass/sod fields, 6 batting cages, a full concession stand, retail area and a spectacular VIP viewing area. They get gate, parking, entries, merchant sales, concession and rebate revenues with a staff of nine.

Mauston Sports Complex in Mauston, Wi. Built in 2013 and consisting of 8 synthetic turf Baseball/Softball fields and a full concession/retail area at a cost of $15M. They are developing a new Woodside Sports Foundation to open up grant and tax break options. Costs were $150,000 per field but very little maintenance costs annually. 4 fields are lit at a cost of $75,000 per field.

The Regional Sports and Recreation Complex (RSRC) aims to meet the demands of the community and region for the next 20-30 years. The $65 million project includes construction, soft costs and site acquisition. The final scope of the project may evolve based on additional funding availability, including grants and private contributions.

The City is currently in the site selection and acquisition process for the new facility, with additional activity on the project happening in the coming months. The goal is to have a multi-sport indoor/outdoor facility open by late 2026.