Editing Iowa Events Center (section)

==History==
[[Image:VilsackatIEC.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Gov. [[Tom Vilsack]] speaks at the [[Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines)|Wells Fargo Arena]] dedication ceremony on July 12, 2005.]]
The Iowa Events Center originally consisted of the existing [[Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center|Vets Auditorium]], the existing Polk County Convention Complex, the new [[Hy-Vee]] Hall, and the new [[Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines)|Wells Fargo Arena]]. The new buildings were designed by [[Populous (architects)|Populous]]  (formerly HOK Sport Venue Event), who were also the architects of the renovated [[Principal Park]] in Des Moines, the [[United Center]] in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], and many other [[arena]]s and [[stadium]]s in the [[United States]]. The project cost $217 million, making this the largest public project in [[Iowa]] history. Funding for the project came from [[Polk County, Iowa|Polk County]] and its cities, private donations, and the Vision Iowa Fund that Gov. [[Tom Vilsack]] signed into law in 2000. Gambling profits from the [[Prairie Meadows]] casino in nearby [[Altoona, Iowa|Altoona]] are expected to pay off the debt.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Dobbs|title=We built it... will they come?|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:DMRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10B515F72BC7FE18&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815|work=[[The Des Moines Register]]|date=2005-07-11|page=1A}}</ref>

Construction began in early 2002 after Polk County reached a project-labor agreement with local [[labor union]]s that guaranteed favorable wages and working conditions in exchange for no [[work stoppage]]s. Polk County was soon sued by [[right to work]] supporters who claimed that the use of a project-labor agreement on a public project violated Iowa's right to work laws. The lawsuit halted construction for several months, but on November 14, 2002, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in Polk County's favor.<ref>{{cite news|first=Frank|last=Santiago|title=State Supreme Court upholds Polk County's labor agreement|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:DMRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F759BD6522BEDB3&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815|work=The Des Moines Register|date=2002-11-15|page=4A}}</ref>

On April 22, 2004, Polk County agreed to transfer management of the Iowa Events Center to [[Comcast Spectacor#Global Spectrum|Global Spectrum]], a [[Comcast]] subsidiary, of [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]]. Global Spectrum soon announced that the new [[Iowa Stars]] hockey team would be the center's primary tenant. In September 2004, Global Spectrum announced that ticket purchases will be done through Patron Solutions, another Comcast subsidiary, instead of [[Ticketmaster]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Kyle|last=Munson|title=Events Center bypasses giant in ticket deal|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:DMRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1054BEC88E46D5AF&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815|work=The Des Moines Register|date=2004-09-21|page=3B}}</ref>