Casey's General Stores will replace Wells Fargo as the naming rights partner for the arena at the Iowa Events Center.
Wells Fargo Arena will become the Casey's Center on July 1, 2025, when the venue's contract with Wells Fargo expires.
"We've been proud to call [Iowa] home for nearly 60 years, and today we celebrate a new chapter with the announcement of the Casey's Center," Casey’s President and CEO Darren Rebelez said during a news conference announcing the deal Monday. "Casey's continues to evolve into a bigger and better version of ourselves."
Angela Connolly, chair of the Polk County Board of Supervisors, announced the 10-year partnership between Polk County — the owner of the Iowa Events Center and the arena — and Casey's during the news conference.
"This venue holds significant importance for many across Iowa, the Midwest, and beyond, and we’re grateful to be part of the popular sporting and entertainment events hosted here,” Connolly said. "Casey's has a deep history in the state of Iowa and is ingrained in communities across the state and beyond."
Officials with Polk County and the venue's manager, Oak View Group, refused to provide details on the contract Monday or how much Casey's paid. A Polk County spokesperson told the Register more details about the contract would be available after the Board of Supervisors votes on the agreement at its meeting on Tuesday.
"The arena belongs to the people of Polk County, and if the supervisors are going to accept money to put some business entity's name on it, the public has a right to know how much that is," said Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.
What else is changing at Wells Fargo Arena besides the name?
The naming partnership marks the first of its kind for Casey’s and puts its name on the arena for the next 10 years. In addition to the name change, Casey's Center will also offer Casey’s pizza and other Casey’s branded snacks for sale at events.
Community Choice Credit Union recently renewed its naming rights for the Iowa Events Center's convention center, and the naming rights for Hy-Vee Hall expire at the end of the year, said Adam Flack, regional marketing director for Oak View Group.
What has Wells Fargo said in response to the name change?
Wells Fargo purchased the naming rights of the arena for $11.5 million in May 2001. The deal gave the financial services company the naming rights for 20 years, starting when the arena opened in 2005.
"Wells Fargo remains committed to this community," a company spokesperson said in a statement to the Register. "Thousands of Wells Fargo employees live and work in central Iowa. The area continues to be a major center of employment for the company, and we will continue generously supporting local charitable causes."
"We would like to thank Polk County leaders and their representatives, the Oak View Group, for their partnership and professionalism throughout the process," the statement said.
What's the history of Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines?
Wells Fargo Arena opened on July 12, 2005, as part of the new Iowa Events Center complex. The arena cost $99 million — nearly $160 million in 2024 dollars.
It hosted Tony Hawk's "Boom Boom Huck Jam" two days later as its first event. The first musical artist to perform in the arena was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on July 18, 2005.
With over 35,000 square feet of space, the venue can seat 15,000 to 17,000 people, depending on the attraction.
By 2015, Wells Fargo Arena had hosted more than 1,500 events with more than 6 million attendees and generated an economic impact of over $64.5 million for Des Moines, according to the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau.
What have been the largest concerts held at Wells Fargo Arena?
Since 2005, the arena has hosted some of the world's most popular musical artists, such as Taylor Swift, Elton John, Justin Bieber and Drake.
George Strait holds the record for the largest attendance at a single concert, with 15,843 for a show in April 2014. Fellow country artist Garth Brooks holds the record for the largest overall concert attendance at the arena, with over six shows totaling 94,214.
The arena is home to the NBA G-League's Iowa Wolves, the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild and the Indoor Football League's Iowa Barnstormers.
The arena has hosted the first- and second-round games of the NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments and has been home to the Iowa high school state wrestling and basketball championships since 2006. It will also host the first and second rounds of the 2028 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.