Des Moines Convention Center & Meeting Frequently Asked Questions

 

​How many square feet is the convention center? 

The Iowa Events Center’s total square feet is 286,300. There are 226,000 square feet of meeting space, 150,000 square feet of exhibit space, 28,800 square feet of ballroom space, and 60,300 square feet of pre-function space. 

How many meeting rooms does the convention center have?  

The Iowa Events Center has 37 meeting rooms. 

Do you have a hotel attached to your convention center?

The Hilton Des Moines Downtown is directly connected to the Iowa Events Center. Downtown Des Moines is connected via skywalk, and through that, there are 1,000+ connected hotel rooms.

How many hotel rooms are in Greater Des Moines?  

There are over 13,000 hotel rooms in Greater Des Moines.  

How many hotel rooms are located near the convention center?  

There are currently 2,834 hotel rooms located within 1.2 miles of the convention center. There will be 3,11 hotel rooms the end of 2022.  

What is the largest hotel in Greater Des Moines?  

The largest hotel in Greater Des Moines is Des Moines Marriott Downtown. It has 413 rooms.  

What is the largest meeting space in a hotel?  

Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack & Hotel has the largest hotel ballroom. It is 14,100 square feet. Their total meeting space is more than 34,775 square feet. The Des Moines Marriott Downtown is a close second with 14,000 square feet and a total meeting space of more than 28,000 square feet. 

What is the distance from the airport to downtown? 

The Des Moines International Airport is a 10-minute drive (5 miles) to downtown, and most hotels in the metro offer complimentary shuttling as well as shuttling within 2-3 miles of the property. Greater Des Moines also has taxi, limo, Uber, and Lyft services.  

How many direct flights does Des Moines have?  

The Des Moines International Airport has 160 daily flights, with more than 25 direct flights to major U.S. cities. More than 8,600 seats are available each day at the Des Moines International Airport!

What are Greater Des Moines' top attractions? 

Greater Des Moines is rich in culture and offers all the big-city attractions you would expect to have in a capital city. Some of the major attractions include an amusement park, zoo, science center, art center, casino, and museums. Find more of Des Moines' top attractions here

What are the off-site meeting venue options in Greater Des Moines? 

World Food Prize Hall of LaureatesWest End Salvage, Iowa Hall of Pride, Smash ParkGreater Des Moines Botanical Gardens, and Living History Farms are just a few of the many popular off-site venue options in Greater Des Moines. Find a full list of options on our off-site venue page.