Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1443612
Demand in the HEARTLAND IF YOU BUILD IT, they will come. It's one of the most iconic lines in cinema, with an extra special meaning to the state of Iowa where the 1989 film "Field of Dreams" is set. Taking a similar sentiment and apply- ing it to hockey, the city of West Des Moines was hearing cries for more ice. Enter MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. If you build it, they will come. "The demand for hockey right now in the area is off the charts," said Shayne Ratcliff, general manager of MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. "Hockey parents were saying they need another sheet of ice that can host tour- naments in the Des Moines area. So many of the surrounding facilities were kind of reaching their life end—single- sheet facilities that were mere boxes. "Parents wanted more." Full Bore Initially planned as a private arena, it wasn't until MidAmerican Energy Company stepped in with a commit- ment of $5 million that jumpstarted the project forward in the spring of 2019. As the campaign for the facility continued throughout the year, the city saw what a fiscal and community-driven impact it could have for the area. But they saw more than just hockey. What started as an ice sheet quickly blossomed into so much more. Soccer? They've got it. Basketball? You bet. Pickleball? Why not? Esports? Yes, even Esports. "When the city took over and expanded it with basketball courts and batting cages and pickleball courts, the size ended up 14 / JANUARY.FEBRUARY.2022 USICERINKS.COM PHOTOS: MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY RECPLEX MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex puts West Des Moines, Iowa on ice /// by JESSI PIERCE Featured Rink MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex | | West Des Moines, Iowa