Plans have been announced to build a $75 million, 6,300 seat soccer stadium for a new USL team (Triple A professional soccer team) on the southern end of downtown. Perhaps even more exciting is the $525 million in redevelopment that the owner and developer of the soccer team is looking to invest around and in the neighborhood near the proposed stadium over the next decade. The ownership group is affiliated with the owners of the Kum and Go Convenience store chain, which is based in DSM and had relocated their HQ from the burbs to downtown a few years back, but are well-heeled to take this on and have a track record of quality.
The $$$ for the stadium is contingent on some state funding, which the city is supposed to find out the status of within the next few months. These renderings are largely conceptual now but give a flavor for the scale of redevelopment, which is one of 3 very large redevelopment districts underway downtown.
The project would also check the box of removing the biggest eyesore in town, the abandoned DICO factory, which is an EPA superfund site shown in the foreground below.
Here's the conceptual renderings for the stadium:
Master planned development around the stadium. This is supposed to include some entertainment areas, mixed-use downtown development, public plaza space, and a parking ramp.
New hotel (someday)
Mixed-Use with grocery store tenant on first floor
2500 seat concert venue
This redevelopment would also include some additional real estate holdings in the Western Gateway area of Downtown Des Moines.
Renovation of former car showroom to a brewery