DES MONES, Iowa
A big renovation of the existing Veterans Memorial Auditorium has been completed and the building has been renamed Veteran's Memorial Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center.
With a museum-quality exhibit, a 28,730-square-foot ballroom (the largest in the state), 34,000 square feet of new meeting space and interactive technology, the renovation allows Des Moines to compete regionally for convention and conference business. Part of the Iowa Events Center complex that includes Wells Fargo Arena and Hy-Vee Hall, the new convention center opens this week.
The original Veterans Memorial Auditorium was dedicated in 1954 to honor the World War II veterans of Polk County, Iowa. The renovation continues that tradition with museum quality exhibits in the refreshed Memorial Hall honoring Iowans who served their country. The original 7,200 seat arena was transformed into twenty seven flexible meeting rooms, able to be resized to fit a wide variety of occupants. In the west lobby, seven new glass panels display events from the original building's past including a historic visit from Elvis Presley.
The concourse linking the two lobbies features state-of-the-art projection capabilities on a series of 30 feet tall by 16 feet wide, full height movable wall panels – a first of its kind installation for video display.
