Des Moines

I would think Des Moines is back in play as far as being a site for the men. I saw a lot of empty seats at some of the men's games on TV and don't think for a second the NCAA suits didn't notice that as well. They know fans in Iowa would flock to fill up seats.
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The seats are sold, if you were a Mizzou fan, would you stick around for the rest of the weekend? The only thing that matters is the revenue share that the arena offers the NCAA. This argument is void of economic facts.

It is not a matter of saying DM should host, but rather that there is not much difference than a lot of other host cities and DM. If the NCAA can use DM for Track, Womens BBall, and Wrestling then they should be able to use it Mens Basketball.

The womens regional round had 2,000 more fans than then next closest one. Was like 8,000 in attendance.

The NCAA will make their money in DM and they will get a highly attended first and second round regional.
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Wrestling is your closest argument, but NCAA track and field, really? REALLY?

Let me ask you this, and it is an honest question since I don't live in Des Moines or really work in the convention business. How many major conventions come to Des Moines every year? I do know that in the convention business, you can't call a hotel a convention hotel if it is more than 3 blocks away.

That is what this is. It is just as competitive and they are looking for the same thing that the best conventions are.
 
Well that really isn't a fair question since they just finished converting Vets this winter. We were losing conventions because of our lack of space in addittion to the convention hotel issue we have discussed.
 
SteveGarvey said:
I would think Des Moines is back in play as far as being a site for the men. I saw a lot of empty seats at some of the men's games on TV and don't think for a second the NCAA suits didn't notice that as well. They know fans in Iowa would flock to fill up seats.
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2011 DIVISION I BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT ATTENDANCE​
​
First Four Dayton 10,025
Dayton 10,192

Second Round Charlotte 16,829
Cleveland 20,164
Tampa 14,835
Tulsa 12,631
Charlotte 16,852
Cleveland 20,164
Tampa 15,504
Tulsa 14,353
Chicago 17,352
Denver 18,499
Tucson 10,101
Washington 17,578
Chicago 17,369
Denver 19,216
Tucson 10,293
Washington 17,706

Third Round Charlotte 18,329
Cleveland 20,164
Tampa 17,771
Tulsa 15,839
Chicago 18,146
Denver 19,328
Tucson 11,267
Washington 18,684

For the three sessions in Omaha this year attendance was 16,843; 17,051 & 16,998. At Nationwide attendance was 17,030; 17,464 & 17,425.

The problem with Des Moines is it is not competing with Tucson for games. It is competing with Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Omaha, etc.​
 
If you throw Cleveland and Columbus in there than you should probably throw in Tulsa and maybe Denver.
 
Furthermore, compare the cities that surround Dayton, to the cities that surround Des Moines. You are only talking about Kansas City and Minneapolis being within three hours.

So it's really Omaha that is the competition to Des Moines and unfortunately, Omaha is at a different level.
 
BSpringsteen said:
Furthermore, compare the cities that surround Dayton, to the cities that surround Des Moines. You are only talking about Kansas City and Minneapolis being within three hours.

So it's really Omaha that is the competition to Des Moines and unfortunately, Omaha is at a different level.
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Why is that, because they have a convention hotel?
 
ColumbusHawk said:
2011 DIVISION I BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT ATTENDANCE​


​
​
First Four Dayton 10,025
Dayton 10,192​


Second Round Charlotte 16,829
Cleveland 20,164
Tampa 14,835
Tulsa 12,631
Charlotte 16,852
Cleveland 20,164
Tampa 15,504
Tulsa 14,353
Chicago 17,352
Denver 18,499
Tucson 10,101
Washington 17,578
Chicago 17,369
Denver 19,216
Tucson 10,293
Washington 17,706​

Third Round Charlotte 18,329
Cleveland 20,164
Tampa 17,771
Tulsa 15,839
Chicago 18,146
Denver 19,328
Tucson 11,267
Washington 18,684​

For the three sessions in Omaha this year attendance was 16,843; 17,051 & 16,998. At Nationwide attendance was 17,030; 17,464 & 17,425.​

The problem with Des Moines is it is not competing with Tucson for games. It is competing with Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Omaha, etc.​
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We all know that "official" attendance figures are inflated for every sport to make a better appearance.
 
[QUOTE=BSpringsteen;765959]The seats are sold, if you were a Mizzou fan, would you stick around for the rest of the weekend? The only thing that matters is the revenue share that the arena offers the NCAA. This argument is void of economic facts.



Wrestling is your closest argument, but NCAA track and field, really? REALLY?

Let me ask you this, and it is an honest question since I don't live in Des Moines or really work in the convention business. How many major conventions come to Des Moines every year? I do know that in the convention business, you can't call a hotel a convention hotel if it is more than 3 blocks away.

That is what this is. It is just as competitive and they are looking for the same thing that the best conventions are.[/QUOTE]


One of the games in which I noticed a lot of empty seats was the Duke-Lehigh game, the first game for both teams. Maybe some of this was because the NDU-Xavier fans weren't there for that game but that many empty seats?
 
Des Moines is not far off, as a few have mentioned they are only a couple more downtown hotels away from being able to pull off big event like the NCAA mens. I take my family to Des Moines at least once a year as there is a ton to do. From Adventureland, Blank Park Zoo, Jordan Creek, Iowa Cubs, to Living History Farms we manage to find plenty to do while not spending a fortune. Oh yeah, and it is our State Capital which is a neat tour as well.

Hard to believe some of you are dogging on Des Moines.
 
SteveGarvey said:
[QUOTE=BSpringsteen;765959]The seats are sold, if you were a Mizzou fan, would you stick around for the rest of the weekend? The only thing that matters is the revenue share that the arena offers the NCAA. This argument is void of economic facts.



Wrestling is your closest argument, but NCAA track and field, really? REALLY?

Let me ask you this, and it is an honest question since I don't live in Des Moines or really work in the convention business. How many major conventions come to Des Moines every year? I do know that in the convention business, you can't call a hotel a convention hotel if it is more than 3 blocks away.

That is what this is. It is just as competitive and they are looking for the same thing that the best conventions are.
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One of the games in which I noticed a lot of empty seats was the Duke-Lehigh game, the first game for both teams. Maybe some of this was because the NDU-Xavier fans weren't there for that game but that many empty seats?[/QUOTE]

Attendance for that session was 16,523. A lot of fans only want to see their teams play. Plus, the Dukies got out of town in a hurry.
 
ssckelley said:
Des Moines is not far off, as a few have mentioned they are only a couple more downtown hotels away from being able to pull off big event like the NCAA mens. I take my family to Des Moines at least once a year as there is a ton to do. From Adventureland, Blank Park Zoo, Jordan Creek, Iowa Cubs, to Living History Farms we manage to find plenty to do while not spending a fortune. Oh yeah, and it is our State Capital which is a neat tour as well.

Hard to believe some of you are dogging on Des Moines.
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For an event like the NCAA tournament, it only matters what is in a mile square area around the facility.
 
H8IAST8 said:
Why is that, because they have a convention hotel?
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or 10.

Plus being twice the size and having another decent size town in Lincoln an hour away. And a booming downtown. And a long history with major NCAA events like the College World Series.

You know. Paltry stuff like that.
 
BSpringsteen said:
For an event like the NCAA tournament, it only matters what is in a mile square area around the facility.
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ok, I am with you there but other than a couple more downtown hotels what else does Des Moines need to make it attractive to hosting these kinds of events?

BSpringsteen said:
or 10.

Plus being twice the size and having another decent size town in Lincoln an hour away. And a booming downtown. And a long history with major NCAA events like the College World Series.

You know. Paltry stuff like that.
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Your response to me and then this post conflict with each other. What does the size of the city along with being an hour away from another city have to do with hosting an event like the NCAA mens tournament? You just said all that matters is what is in the "square mile area around the facility".

So again, what else does downtown Des Moines need?
 
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I think that is a huge step, because with hotels come bars and restaurants to serve visitors - but it only works if the hotels are filled.

You either need to be a destination city (Chicago)
Surrounded by major cities (Dayton)
or a Convention City (Omaha, Columbus, Indianapolis)

Seeing as how Des Moines will never be the first two, you need conventions to get the entertainment to come in and service the hotels.

This is a chicken/egg argument in secondary markets across the country.

You need hotels, but visitors for the hotels to exist. You need services and amenities for visitors, but visitors to keep these places in business. How do you build hotels without commitments from visitors, but how do you get commitments without hotels?
 
BSpringsteen said:
or 10.

Plus being twice the size and having another decent size town in Lincoln an hour away. And a booming downtown. And a long history with major NCAA events like the College World Series.

You know. Paltry stuff like that.
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What does a city an hour away have to do with Omaha?

Milwaukee is an hour from Chicago, do you thing Chicago has anything to do with a bid for Milwaukee?

Des Moines has plenty of hotels within 1 mile. Its the 0-3 block range that they are lacking.
Des Moines employs more and houses more downtown then Omaha. Any other terrible comparisions you want to make?
 
H8IAST8 said:
What does a city an hour away have to do with Omaha? Additional ticket sales

Milwaukee is an hour from Chicago, do you thing Chicago has anything to do with a bid for Milwaukee? Yes, I do. Jut like I think Dayton being exactly in the middle between Indianapolis, Columbus, Louisville and Cincinnati has something to do with them getting games.

Des Moines has plenty of hotels within 1 mile. Its the 0-3 block range that they are lacking. Exactly - for hotels its 3 blocks, for services it's the downtown area.
Des Moines employs more and houses more downtown then Omaha. Any other terrible comparisions you want to make?
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You have a very loose interpretation of downtown. I seriously doubt that this is true, unless you have an incredibly narrow view of what constitutes downtown.
 
Ticket sales would not be a problem. Everyone but you agrees with that.

Dayton was rewarded because they held the play-in games.

I KNOW for a FACT Des moines has more employees downtown, than Omaha. Des Moines has more employees downtown than cities twice its size.
 
I know there were 70,000 employees 5 years ago, i kind of doubt the 85,000 this article claims since a few downtown employers moved to WDM. I will say a minimum of 70,000 professional employees. Omaha has 55,000 downtown. It comes close to DSM if you count Midtown. Little Rock has approximately 45,000.

For its population, DSM has a very large downtown. I will give you that Omaha's entertainment district (Old Market) is much more established then the EV and Court Ave in Des Moines. This is not meant to be a slight to Omaha, both cities are doing very well.

Living: “We have 85,000 office employees, a portion of which will consider living downtown,” Lyons said. That provides a much larger market of potential downtown residents than a city such as Colorado Springs, which has around 15,000 downtown workers, and also provides more of an opportunity for restaurant and retail money to be spent.
'Something special happening'
 
Hotels are to serve visitors but also the teams.

How many people are associated with each team.

Players, coaches, Athletic Department folks, managers, trainers

Don't forget cheerleaders and Pep Bands. Multiply by 8 teams and that's just for the people officially associated with the program.
 
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