GRIMES, Iowa — One of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa is gaining another attraction.
Grimes just broke ground on a massive new sports complex that's projected to bring millions of dollars to the already-active city.
The "Grimesplex", spanning 55 acres, will have room for up to 13 soccer fields and 16 baseball fields. The overwhelming popularity of sports made it a natural choice for the city to invest in.
"Sports continues to be very popular and is a growing sector within the economic market. So we are capitalizing off of that particular sector with partnering with the Hope Development team," said Alex Pfaltzgraff, development services director for the City of Grimes.
It's not all about sports, though. The facility will serve as the heart of a new development in Grimes, featuring restaurants, hotels, and more.
"It's sports-driven, but having an entertainment district, so to speak, where people have a place to go and it's interactive," said Tim Day, Hope Development's Director of Real Estate and Development. "There's walking trails on everything."
All of these additions are necessary due to Grimes' rapid growth. Between 2010 and 2020, the city nearly doubled in population, going from about 8,200 residents to over 15,000. City officials project that trend won't be slowing down.
"In another 10 year period, you could see us adding another 10,000 people in population," Pfaltzgraff said. "But the fortunate thing is, again, we're thinking about how the population will impact our infrastructure. So we have plans for sewer upgrades, new water upgrades, planning for the future of the city.'
There will be plenty of time for that population growth, though. The development project is a long-term one.
"It's probably 5 years, potentially 7 years by the time it's all filled in. But it all hinges, that sports-plex," Day said.
Though an exact date for the Grimesplex's opening hasn't been set yet, city officials are hopeful the facility will be ready for play by summer 2022.