Planning is underway to expand the MidAmerican Energy Co. RecPlex in West Des Moines, a move that would allow the facility to annually host additional events and attract thousands more sports participants and spectators to the area.

“We saw the need to expand immediately after we opened,” said Shayne Ratcliff, general manager of the RecPlex at 6500 Grand Ave. “We are turning away several events a year just because we aren’t big enough.”

The proposed expansion, which would add about 100,000 square feet to the RecPlex, is estimated to cost $29.2 million. The new space would include up to 1,000 spectator seats. It would cater to ice-related events part of the year and “dry floor” events during the remainder of the year.

Construction could begin as soon as the summer of 2025, with completion by late 2026.

The exact size of an expansion hasn’t yet been determined, said Ryan Penning, the city’s parks and recreation director. Officials are researching the cost differences and site requirements for a potentially larger expansion with seating for up to 3,000 spectators.

A larger arena could be pursued if a funding and usage partnership with the Des Moines Buccaneers hockey team is reached and the team decides to permanently play its home matches at the RecPlex, Penning said.

A mechanical issue at the Buccaneers’ aged facility in Urbandale caused the team to relocate its matches this season to the RecPlex. The team had been in negotiations with Merle Hay Mall to relocate to a new arena proposed at the mall. Talks between the Buccaneers and the mall’s owner collapsed earlier this year.

“We hope the Bucs have enjoyed their time here and that they want to continue this partnership,” Penning said. “But honestly, I don’t think it’s out of the question to say that the city would benefit from having a larger arena.”

If the Buccaneers decided to remain at the RecPlex, the amount of money they would pay to use the space could help offset expansion costs, Penning said. After the city receives cost estimates for the expansions, discussions will begin with the Buccaneers, he said.

Officials with the Buccaneers did not respond to a request for comment.

Penning emphasized that several steps must be completed before the city moves forward with the expansion project, including gaining approval from the City Council.

History of RecPlex
The idea for the RecPlex was first suggested by two residents looking for a place to serve the area’s growing youth hockey industry. The residents — Ryan Opp and Jeff Stanbrough — met several times with city officials and helped persuade MidAmerican Energy to donate money for the facility. A feasibility study showed support for a multiuse recreational facility.

The RecPlex opened in fall 2021. The project, which cost nearly $60 million, was paid for with money from both the private and public sectors.

The facility includes nearly 300,000 square feet of space that can accommodate up to 8,000 people. One arena includes 1,500 seats and one sheet of ice that can be converted to a “dry floor” so events like conventions, concerts and expos can be staged in it. A second rink with 300 seats features year-round ice rental opportunities. A 150,000-square-foot fieldhouse includes basketball and pickleball courts, batting cages and a full-sized artificial turf field, which can accommodate soccer, football, lacrosse, baseball, softball and other activities.

On the west side of the facility are full-sized, outdoor artificial turfs.

Since opening, the RecPlex has hosted several national and international events including the Major League Quidditch Championship, the 2024 AAU Junior Olympic Games, Golden Age Games, and NAIA Men’s Volleyball Championship. In 2025, the facility will host the National Senior Games, and the Junior Olympic Games are scheduled to return in 2026 and 2030.

In its first full year of operation, the facility had an estimated 650,000 visitors and an economic impact of $9.6 million. In 2024, an estimated 1.2 million people passed through the RecPlex’s doors; the facility’s economic impact — visitors’ use of hotels, restaurant dining and retail and gas purchases — was $47.3 million, information provided by the city shows.

Located in burgeoning area
The RecPlex is located in a rapidly growing area of West Des Moines.

To the west at 8025 Grand Ave. is the new campus for Des Moines University with more than 1,500 students. Planned between DMU’s 88-acre campus and the RecPlex is the Grand Experience, a $500 million development that is proposed to include an indoor water park, conference center, hotels, commercial and retail space, and housing.

Areas to the east are filling in with new developments including a new convenience store and office development.

The addition to the RecPlex is expected to attract another 200,000 people annually to the facility. In its first year, the expanded facility could have an economic impact of $4.1 million, according to a report prepared by Sports Facilities Advisory for the city of West Des Moines.

“Adding more space gives us more flexibility from the ice side,” Ratcliff said. “With three sheets of ice, we can bid on more national hockey tournaments that we don’t have the bandwidth for now. We can’t get those national events now because it would affect our daily users.”

The RecPlex was originally designed so it could be expanded to the east. The expansion would occur in an area now used for parking.

Penning said the city will apply for grants to help pay for the project. One of those grants is through the state’s Destination Iowa program, which provided funds for the RecPlex’s first phase.