Casey's Center facts for kids
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The CC
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Casey's Center (as Wells Fargo Arena) In August 2005
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| Former names | Wells Fargo Arena (2005–June 2025) |
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| Address | 233 Center Street |
| Location | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°35′33.6″N 93°37′16.1″W / 41.592667°N 93.621139°W |
| Owner | Polk County |
| Operator | Spectra Venue Management |
| Capacity | 16,980 (center stage concerts) 16,285 (end stage concerts) 16,110 (basketball) 15,181 (hockey) 15,181 (football) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | December 18, 2002 |
| Opened | July 12, 2005 |
| Construction cost | $117 million ($175 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | HOK Sport Renaissance Design Group Brooks Borg Skiles |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Services engineer | FSC, Inc. |
| General contractor | Weitz/Turner |
| Tenants | |
| Iowa Stars/Chops (AHL) (2005–2009) Iowa Wolves (NBAGL) (2007–present) Iowa Barnstormers (IFL) (2008–present) Iowa Wild (AHL) (2013–present) Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) (2020–2021) |
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Casey's Center is a large building in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. It's a special place where many different events happen. You can watch sports games, enjoy concerts, and attend other fun shows here.
The arena opened on July 12, 2005. It cost about $117 million to build. It is named after Casey's, a company that helped pay for it. Casey's Center took the place of an older building as the main spot for big events in Des Moines.
Casey's Center can hold many people. For hockey or football games, about 15,181 fans can watch. Basketball games can have 16,110 people. For concerts, up to 16,980 people can fit inside!
The arena also has a restaurant called The Fort. From there, you can see the Des Moines River and the Iowa State Capitol. The restaurant opened in October 2005.
Casey's Center is connected to other parts of the Iowa Events Center. It also links to downtown Des Moines through the city's Skywalk system. This makes it easy to get around.
The arena was known as Wells Fargo Arena from when it opened until June 2025. It was named after the company Wells Fargo during that time.
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Fun Events at Casey's Center
Casey's Center has hosted many exciting events. The very first event was Tony Hawk's Boom-Boom Huck Jam on July 1, 2005. This was a cool show with skateboarding and BMX stunts.
The first concert at the arena was on July 18, 2005. It featured Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with The Black Crowes. Many famous musicians have played here since then.
Home to Sports Teams
Casey's Center is home to several sports teams. These teams play their games right here in Des Moines.
- The Iowa Wolves play basketball. They are connected to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- The Iowa Barnstormers play indoor football.
- The Iowa Wild play hockey. They are linked to the Minnesota Wild.
From 2005 to 2009, another hockey team, the Iowa Chops, also played here. The arena even hosted the first game of the new Arena Football League in 2010. That game was shown on national TV!
Big Tournaments and Championships
Casey's Center has been chosen for many important sports tournaments.
- It hosted games for the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament in 2008 and 2012.
- In 2013, the arena held the NCAA Wrestling Team Championship.
- It has hosted state high school wrestling and basketball tournaments since 2006.
- The arena also hosted the Big Four Classic basketball games from 2012 to 2018.
In 2011, the Iowa Energy (now Iowa Wolves) won their first championship here. They set a record for attendance with over 14,000 fans!
The arena has hosted the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament first and second rounds multiple times. This happened in 2016, 2019, and 2023. Big college teams like Kansas and Texas played here.
In 2020, another hockey team, the Des Moines Buccaneers, played here for a short time. Their home arena was damaged by a big storm. They returned to their own arena in 2021.
Casey's Center hosted Des Moines' first UFC event in May 2025. This was a big mixed martial arts show.
Who Plays Here?
Casey's Center is the home for a few exciting sports teams.
Current Teams
- Iowa Wild: This hockey team is part of the American Hockey League (AHL). They are connected to the NHL team, the Minnesota Wild.
- Iowa Wolves: This basketball team plays in the NBA G League. They are linked to the NBA team, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- Iowa Barnstormers: This team plays indoor football.
Past Teams
- Iowa Stars: This hockey team played from 2005 to 2008. They were connected to the Dallas Stars NHL team.
- Iowa Chops: This was the same hockey team, but they changed their name for the 2008–09 season. They were then connected to the Anaheim Ducks NHL team.
Famous Performers and Events
Many famous people and groups have performed at Casey's Center.
- Slipknot: A band from Des Moines, they played here in 2009 and 2016.
- Paul McCartney: The famous singer played concerts in 2005 and 2017.
- Garth Brooks: This country music star had six sold-out shows in 2016.
- Green Day: The rock band performed in 2005 and 2017.
- WWE Raw and Smackdown Live!: These professional wrestling shows have been held here.
- The Eagles: The legendary band played in 2018.
- Coldplay: This popular band performed in 2009.
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: They played in 2016.
- Foo Fighters: This rock band performed in 2017.
- Drake: The famous rapper played in 2016.
- The Chainsmokers: This music duo performed in 2017.
- Red Hot Chili Peppers: They played in 2007 and 2017.
- Panic! At The Disco: This band performed in 2017.
- Taylor Swift: The global superstar played concerts in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015.
- Cardi B: The rapper performed in 2019.
- Elton John: His Farewell Tour came to the arena in 2022.
- Justin Bieber: The pop star performed in 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2022.
- Britney Spears: Her "The Circus Starring Britney Spears" tour stopped here in 2009.
- AJR: This band played in 2021 and 2024.
- Lorde: The singer performed in 2018.
- AEW Dynamite and Rampage: These wrestling shows were held in 2024.
