Catch Des Moines says $800,000 funding cut will limit future event bids

Catch Des Moines leaders told the Polk County Board of Supervisors that a recently announced change to the local funding model will reduce the bureau’s budget by roughly $800,000 and make it harder for the organization to compete for large conventions and sporting events.

The warning came during Catch Des Moines’ annual presentation to the board, where outgoing CEO Greg Edwards and incoming CEO Trina Flack reviewed the organization’s activity, marketing strategy and the scope of events the bureau helped bring to the metro area.

Catch Des Moines said its operating budget directs about 85% of dollars to sales, marketing and sports efforts and 15% to administrative expenses. Leaders said the bureau directly solicited 261 events during the past year, assisted with 393 total conventions or sporting events, and has roughly 300 additional events booked for future years. The group reported sending 224 leads to the downtown Hilton (60 events held there this past year, 46 booked for future years) and 94 leads to the Iowa Events Center (72 events held, 42 future events booked). Trina Flack, who said she has been with Catch Des Moines 17 years and served as vice president since 2019, said the bureau is already planning 3–5 years ahead for future bids.

"We just totally disagree with it," Greg Edwards said when asked about the property-tax driven funding change and its impact on Catch Des Moines’ budget. Edwards added that the reduction will “put us in a tough situation” and that competing cities and regions have larger event budgets that allow them to buy more business.

Flack told the board the bureau will pursue other funding options and try again next year to pass a tourism improvement district—a voluntary assessment on hotel rooms that she said did not pass at the state level this year. She said the full effect of an $800,000 reduction may not be felt immediately but could appear over the next three to five years in the bureau’s ability to bid for and win events.

Catch Des Moines highlighted several upcoming and recurring events that drive leisure travel and hotel demand in Polk County, including the Principal Charity Classic, Red Bull Soapbox Derby, World Pork Expo, National Junior High School Rodeo Championships, the National Senior Games (expected to bring 12,000–14,000 participants for an 11-day event using about 26 venues), NASCAR and IndyCar races, and national academic and competition events such as National Speech & Debate and mock trial competitions. The presentation also noted national trends in youth sports (an industry estimate cited in the presentation put the sector at about $40 billion in 2022, with projected national growth to about $60 billion by 2030).

Board members and staff thanked Catch Des Moines for the work that supports hotel occupancy, air service and downtown businesses and asked bureau leaders to continue outreach as they adjust to the reduced budget. The bureau said it will introduce the new CEO publicly following the presentation and continue efforts to secure events and alternative funding.

Less-urgent details: Catch Des Moines played a short video describing the bureau’s marketing work and impact and noted internal staff who attended the presentation, including the vice president of marketing and the vice president of finance.