WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — The owner of the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines will receive up to $1.2 million to fund the venue's historic renovation.
West Des Moines City Council approved a development agreement with ballroom owner Sam Summers on Tuesday.
As part of the agreement, the city of West Des Moines will give a 10-year property tax rebate totaling $1,110,250, in addition to a development grant of $72,000.
In exchange for the funding, Summers agreed to finish renovations on the historic venue by Dec. 31. Summers also promised to employ at least 14 full-time employees and maintain a minimum assessed value of $5.5 million upon the project's completion.
Summers, CEO of First Fleet Concerts, acquired the Val Air Ballroom in Jan. 2022. The cost of the project is estimated at $14.5 million.
The 84-year-old Val Air Ballroom, located at 301 Ashworth Road, began as an outdoor dance venue in the 1940s. Eventually, the space was enclosed to form a venue space for concerts and shows.
"Val Air is such a historic part of our city," Councilmember Greg Hudson said during the meeting. "So many important moments throughout, so it's exciting that someone came in and said 'Hey, we really want to redevelop this into a great site' ... just hearing what they plan to do to this facility, it's exciting and I'm very supportive."
With new renovations underway, councilmembers hope Summers will restore the Val Air Ballroom to its former glory, and hopefully bring in bigger acts along the way.
"It's nice to keep this historic structure," Mayor Russ Trimble said at the meeting. "It's going to be a phenomenal investment, bring a lot more people to the area to enjoy concerts, have nicer amenities."
According to the Des Moines Register, renovation plans include adding ADA-appropriate accessibility options, as well as installing a electrical system, new plumbing and sprinklers.
Previously, Gov. Kim Reynolds allocated $1 million of federal funding to the Val Air Ballroom renovations, falling short of Summers' requested $2.8 million.