Casey's Center

{{Short description|Multi-purpose arena in Des Moines, Iowa, United States}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Casey's Center

| nickname = The CC

| image = 300px

| image_caption = Casey's Center (as Wells Fargo Arena) In August 2005

| logo_image =

| address = 233 Center Street

| location = Des Moines, Iowa, United States

| coordinates = {{coord|41|35|33.6|N|93|37|16.1|W|region:US-IA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| broke_ground = December 18, 2002{{cite web |title=The Project Labor Agreement for the Iowa Events Center|url=http://www.limitedgovernment.org/publications/pubs/studies/ps-06-3.pdf|publisher=Public Interest Institute|date=March 2006|access-date=July 1, 2012}}

| opened = July 12, 2005

| renovated =

| expanded =

| closed =

| demolished =

| owner = Polk County

| operator = Spectra Venue Management

| surface = Multi-surface

| construction_cost = $117 million
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|117000000|2005}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})

| architect = HOK Sport
Renaissance Design Group
Brooks Borg Skiles

| structural engineer = Thornton Tomasetti{{cite web |title=Leadership: Paul Fu|url=http://www.thorntontomasetti.com/about/leadership/104-paul_fu|publisher=Thornton Tomasetti|access-date=June 10, 2014}}

| services engineer = FSC, Inc.{{cite web |title=Ali Alaman P. E.|url=http://www.fsc-inc.com/pdf/Ali%20Resume.pdf|publisher=FSC, Inc.|access-date=June 10, 2014}}

| general_contractor = Weitz/Turner

| former_names = Wells Fargo Arena (2005–June 2025)

| tenants = Iowa Stars/Chops (AHL) (2005–2009)
Iowa Wolves (NBAGL) (2007–present)
Iowa Barnstormers (IFL) (2008–present)
Iowa Wild (AHL) (2013–present)
Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) (2020–2021)

| seating_capacity = 16,980

(center stage concerts)
16,285 (end stage concerts)
16,110 (basketball)
15,181 (hockey)
15,181 (football)

| website = {{URL|iowaeventscenter.com}}

}}

Casey's Center is a multi-purpose arena in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Part of the Iowa Events Center, the arena opened on July 12, 2005, at a cost of $117 million.{{cite news |title=It's An Amazing Place|first=Kevin|last=Dobbs|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/237746992|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|date=July 13, 2005|access-date=June 10, 2014|page=1B}} Named for title sponsor Casey’s the arena replaced the aging Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center as the Des Moines area's primary venue for sporting events and concerts.

The Casey's Center seats 15,181 people for hockey and arena football games, 16,110 for basketball games, and as many as 16,980 for concerts.{{cite web|title=Iowa Events Center - Arena Info - Wells Fargo Arena|url=http://www.iowaeventscenter.com/arena_info_wells_fargo.aspx|publisher=Global Spectrum|access-date=February 2, 2008|archive-date=August 7, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807000000/http://www.iowaeventscenter.com/arena_info_wells_fargo.aspx|url-status=dead}} It also features The Fort Restaurant, which provides views of the Des Moines River and the Iowa State Capitol. The restaurant opened on October 6, 2005, coinciding with the Iowa Stars' inaugural home game.{{cite news |title=Hockey Meets Fine Dining|first=Kevin|last=Dobbs|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/237762879|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|date=September 13, 2005|access-date=June 10, 2014|page=4B}}

The arena is also connected to the rest of the Iowa Events Center as well as downtown Des Moines through the city's Skywalk system.

The Casey's Center was named Wells Fargo Arena from opening until June 2025 for Wells Fargo.

Usage

File:Wells Fargo Arena.jpg

The first event held at the arena was Tony Hawk's Boom-Boom Huck Jam, on July 1, 2005. Its first concert, featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with The Black Crowes, was held on July 18.

Wells Fargo Arena is home to the Iowa Wolves (formerly named the Iowa Energy) of the NBA G League, the Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League and the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League.

From 2005 until 2009, Wells Fargo Arena served as the home of the American Hockey League's Iowa Chops. The arena is notable for hosting the inaugural game of the reincarnation of the Arena Football League on April 2, 2010, between the Barnstormers and Chicago Rush, televised nationally by NFL Network.{{cite press release |title=NFL Network Names Announcers for Arena Football League Debut|url=http://arenafootball.com/news/index.html?article_id=49|publisher=Arena Football League|date=March 29, 2010|access-date=April 2, 2010|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025141342/http://arenafootball.com/news/index.html?article_id=49|archive-date=October 25, 2010}} File:Tampa Bay at Iowa 6.1.13.JPG playing against the Tampa Bay Storm during the 2013 season.]]

It was the host for the first and second Round games for the 2008 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament and served as a regional site 2012 tournament. In 2013, it hosted the NCAA Wrestling Team Championship.

It has hosted the state high school wrestling and basketball tournaments since 2006 and the Big Four Classic, a doubleheader featuring the state's four men's Division I teams, from 2012 to 2018.

The arena hosted the 2011 NBA D-League Finals, which saw the Iowa Energy win their first title on their home court and set the D-League attendance record with 14,036 fans in the arena for Game 2.

In 2016, the arena hosted first and second-round games for the Men's NCAA basketball tournament after having failed{{Cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/2014/08/06/des-moines-bids-to-host-ncaa-mens-basketball-tournament/13680521/|title = Why D.M. Officials think they could have a winning NCAA bid| website=The Des Moines Register }} on several prior bids.{{cite news |title=Your definitive guide to March Madness in Des Moines|url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/des-moines/2016/03/12/guide-to-march-madness-in-des-moines/81531626/|publisher=The Des Moines Register|date=March 15, 2016|access-date=March 19, 2016}} The NCAA Men's basketball tournament returned to Wells Fargo Arena in 2019, hosting the tournament's first and second round from March 21 to 23. The tournament returned yet again in 2023, hosting national powers Kansas and Texas.

In 2020, the arena gained a temporary second hockey tenant when the Des Moines Buccaneers announced plans to begin their season downtown after damage to their home arena during the August 2020 Midwest derecho.{{cite web |url=https://www.kcci.com/article/des-moines-iowa-buccaneers-to-open-season-at-wells-fargo-arena/34362282 |title=Des Moines Buccaneers to open season at Wells Fargo Arena |website=KCCI |date=October 13, 2020}} The Buccaneers returned to their previous arena in January 2021.

The arena hosted Des Moines' first UFC event on May 3, 2025 for UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo, marking the promotion's first event in Iowa since 2000.{{cite news |last=Wells |first=Matthew |title=UFC on ESPN 67 results: Cory Sandhagen injures Deiveson Figueiredo, calls for title shot |url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/story/sports/ufc/2025/05/04/ufc-des-moines-cory-sandhagen-injures-deiveson-figueiredo-tko-title-shot/83440098007/ |work=MMA Junkie |date=May 4, 2025 |access-date=May 4, 2025}}

Tenants

=Current tenants=

Iowa Wild of the AHL, affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild
Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League, affiliate of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves
Iowa Barnstormers of the IFL

=Former tenants=

Iowa Stars of the AHL; the team operated from 2005 to 2008 as the Iowa Stars (affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars) and in 2008–09 as the Iowa Chops (affiliate of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks).