EMC Insurance Cos. will pay more than $6.28 million over 10 years to have its name on exhibition and meeting room space at the Iowa Events Center, according to a contract approved today by the Polk County Board of Supervisors.

The exhibit hall will be called EMC Expo Center. The space is currently known as Hy-Vee Hall. However, the West Des Moines-based grocery chain opted not to renew its sponsorship contract.

The Iowa Events Center, 730 Third St. in Des Moines, is owned by Polk County and managed by Oak View Group. The exhibit hall is connected to both the Community Choice Convention Center and Wells Fargo Arena, which on July 1 will be known as the Casey’s Center.

The contract approved by the supervisors allows EMC to:

• Hold up to six events annually at the Iowa Events Center on mutually agreed upon dates. The Des Moines-based insurance company also has access to small meeting rooms for gatherings that include 20 or fewer people.
• Use Suite 30 in the arena during all events, including concerts and athletic competitions. The company will have access to 16 tickets per event and will be provided eight annual VIP parking passes.
• Have EMC Expo Center printed on all materials associated with the exhibit hall, including tickets, programs and advertising. All interior and exterior signage associated with the facility will be changed to EMC Expo Center. Also, all social media associated with the exhibit hall will include the new EMC Expo Center logo; the hall’s website will be www.EMCExpoCenter.com.

The naming rights contract is the second approved by the supervisors this fall. In October, the supervisors approved a sponsorship agreement with Ankeny-based Casey’s General Stores. The convenience store retailer acquired the 10-year naming rights deal for the 17,000-seat arena for $18.3 million. Wells Fargo opted to let its 20-year deal with the county expire. Community Choice Credit Union renewed its sponsorship agreement for the convention center space over a year ago.

Landing a naming rights deal boosts the visibility of sponsors, said Sandy Henry, a professor of journalism and mass communication at Drake University. A company “gets their name on the side of a big building in a very visible location. Anytime there’s an event, the company’s name gets mentioned along with it. … It’s extensive exposure for that organization.”

Naming rights deals can be expensive, Henry said. “But in today’s world of fragmented media, trying to find a mass audience is really, really hard. Putting your name on a building is a good way to get your name in front of a lot of people.”

Hy-Vee paid just over $8 million over 20 years for the naming rights to the exhibit hall, or an average of $400,000 annually. EMC is paying an average of $628,000 annually for the sponsorship deal.

A hurdle facing Iowa Events Center staff is ensuring the public knows where the EMC Expo Center is located when events are announced.

“For 20 years, the facility was known as Hy-Vee Hall. It’s never been called anything else,” Henry said. “I would expect that there is going to be a healthy transition time as people get used to it.”