The SMART Economic Development Conference, which had been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, has now been canceled, organizers said. The event, hosted by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Utility Association, draws about 500 development professionals, business leaders, chamber executives and elected officials to Des Moines each year, but with uncertainty about the virus, organizers have decided to cancel this year’s event. “We recognize the importance this conference brings to your professional development as well as the networking opportunities, which makes this a difficult but necessary decision at this time,” Chaz Allen, director of the Iowa Utility Association, said in a release. Anyone who registered for this year’s conference, originally scheduled for May 14, using a check or credit card will receive refunds shortly, the release stated.