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Latest Des Moines Headlines

AAA Living: Winter Romance
January/February 2012
Sweeten the season with five romantic pursuits in Des Moines.

Tiffany Tauscheck Named Juice Young Professional of the Year
January 23, 2012
Tiffany Tauscheck, Vice President of Marketing for the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Buruea, is Juice Young Professional of the Year.

Southwest Airlines Coming to Des Moines
January 20, 2011
Southwest is known for bringing competition to airports and reducing airfare prices.

New Casino Hotel to Open
January 19, 2012
$32 million hotel at Prairie Meadows is set to open March 1. See a sneak peek!

Iowa cashes in on caucuses
December 27, 2011
Iowa is raking in big bucks from the presidential caucus.

Des Moines in the National, International Spotlight
December 26, 2011
Downtown Des Moines will be home to the national, internationl media over the next week.

Jethro's ranks among manliest eateries
November 28, 2011
The December issue of Men’s Health magazine provides a ranking of the nine “manliest restaurants” in the nation

Gray's Lake Park named one of America's "Great Public Spaces"
October 4, 2011
Gray’s Lake Park was one of 10 places that were selected from among more than 100 applications.

Closer Look: Vicki Comegys
September 23, 2011
Vicki Comegys is vice president of sales and services for the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau. She recently received a lifetime achievement award from a trade group.

Face-lift gives Vets Auditorium new life
September 21, 2011
Construction workers are approaching the end of a 15-month, $42 million makeover that will give the auditorium new life as state-of-the-art convention and meeting space.

Wind Energy Event Focuses Attention On Iowa
September 13, 2011
A wind energy conference is being held at Hy-Vee Hall this week and is open to the public.

Restaurant Week contributes $277,000, double that of 2010

September 7, 2011
An estimated 19,000 people dined out at 36 participating local restaurants Aug. 19-28.

Triathlon Gives Big Economic Boost to Des Moines
September 4, ABC5 WOI
The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that more than 15,000-people will pass through Des Moines because of the Hy-Vee Triathlon this weekend.

45 New Skywalk Signs to be Installed
August 24, WHO-TV 13
The new signs will help visitors to easily navigate the skywalk.

Adventureland and Adventure Bay named one of America’s Top 10 Water Parks
August 3, 2011
TripAdvisor names Adventureland #8 water park in America.


Iowa: Sports in America's Heartland

June 2011
Des Moines sets itself apart in the sports market through its centralized location, both in the state and in the country.

Big Weekend Events Bring Big Profits
June 28, 2011
$5 million impact on Des Moines this past weekend, with more visitors expected at Goodguys and 80/35.

Des Moines named #5 Best City by Parenting Magazine and #9 Healthiest City
June 14, 2011
The top-ranked American cities to live and raise a family based on great schools, affordable homes, low crime rates, jobs, and parkland.

Highlights from Air Tran
June 2011
Take a Bike - B-Cycle
To Europe By Plain
Des Moines - Go Shop, Go See, Go Eat, Go Party
In Brief - Des Moines

New TV Ads Look to Boost Des Moines Tourism
May 31, 2011
In an effort to try and get a bigger piece of the summer vacation pie, the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, is planning an aggressive television ad campaign.

Five Things about Iowa worth boasting about

May 21, 2011
Greg Edwards is president and chief executive of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau. He shares his bragging points on what makes the state so great.

Our Favorite Midwest B&Bs

May 13, 2011
Midwest Living lists the favorite B&Bs in the Midwest. Butler House on Grand in Des Moines is highlighted.

Looking for next big DM convention

May 6, 2011
The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau is launching a campaign "to encourage local people to bring meetings, family reunions, conventions, or whatever to Des Moines."

Agricultural Meetings

May 5, 2011
The Midwest feeds the nation with its harvest and, as a result, is a prime destination for agricultural meetings. Living History Farms is featured in the May issue of Meetings Focus.

Hollywood Celebs Coming to Charity Classic
May 4, 2011
The Principal Charity Classic announced Wednesday that Michael J. Fox and actor Steven Weber are among those appearing at this years event.

Whole Foods to open in West Des Moines
May 4, 2011
Whole Foods Market Inc. announced today its first Iowa location. The 30,000-square-foot store will offer organic fruits and vegetables, meats and poultry, and specialty items.

'The Hub Spot' coming soon to downtown
April 26, 2011
A new addition to the Principal Riverwalk will feature a multi-use structure with an outdoor open plaza that will serve as host to a number of outdoor activities.

Great Ape Trust Scientist One of TIME’s ‘100 Most Influential People In the World’
April 21, 2011
Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh is a scientist with special standing at Great Ape Trust – a world-class research center dedicated to studying the behavior and intelligence of great apes. The first and only scientist to conduct language research with bonobos

Think you know Iowa? Time to look again
April 20, 2011
Des Moines and Iowa featured in the May edition of Courier. Check out pages 53-54.

'White Ghost' to join sculpture park
April 1, 2011
A 12-foot tall sculpture by the Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara will be added to the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

Des Moines featured in Group Travel Leader
April 2011
Several possible Des Moines itineraries are featured in the April issue of Group Travel Leader, promoting local spots to specific ideas for groups such as quilters, groups looking for a behind-the-scenes experience, as well as an intinerary with a patriotic theme.

Des Moines on list of most socially networked cities
March 7, 2011
Men's Journal ranks Des Moines in the top 100 socially networked cities.

Frontier to add new DSM to Denver flight in June
March 3, 2011
Frontier Airlines plans to double its daily fight from Des Moines to Denver as part of a package of other service enhancements scheduled to launch in June, the airline announced today.

Local expert to share event-marketing successes
February 17, 2011
Vicki Comegys of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau has been tapped by a national group to teach hospitality workers how to increase convention and event business.

Pappajohn Sculpture Park appears in NTA's Courier magazine
February 2011
Article on the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park appears on page 19 in the Tour Scene section.

Visioning report outlines Des Moines area strengths, weakness
January 19, 2011
A new report says Metro's strengths include a growing population, more young professionals and tech companies and strong learning centers.

Des Moines Arts Festival featured on Top Events USA
January 19, 2011
The Des Moines Arts Festival is featured as a top event - the three-day celebration of the arts takes place every June.

New Hyatt opens downtown with 93 rooms
December 29, 2010
Vice President of Sales at the GDMCVB quoted.

Des Moines ranks high on brainpower
December 23, 2010
Des Moines placed No. 35 out of the 200 largest metro areas in the United States in national brainpower rankings, which were compiled by Portfolio.com and American City Business Journals Inc.

Des Moines' holiday events and attractions featured in Omaha World Herald
December 12, 2010
If you never thought of Des Moines as a holiday vacation destination, maybe it's time to check out all this city on the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers has to offer for a drive of less than three hours.

Des Moines Art Center makes USA Today's list of "10 great places to see art in smaller cities."
November 30, 2010
The focus at the Des Moines Art Center is on contemporary art at this Midwest museum, which features works by Jasper Johns, Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Keeffe, among others.

Great Ape Trust Bonobos on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360
November 22, 2010
The bonobos are going prime-time. Great Ape Trust will be featured Thursday and Friday on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 as part of a special devoted to animal intelligence, "Amazing Animals: Smarter than You Think."

CVB’s mobile GPS service promotes local attractions
October 12, 2010
The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau launched a new mobile web site Tuesday that uses GPS to direct people to nearby restaurants, hotels and other attractions.

Kanzi and Great Ape Trust’s bonobo research featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show
October 1, 2010
The world’s most famous bonobo will be featured on the world’s most famous talk show - The Oprah Winfrey Show. Lisa Ling, a special correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show, visited the scientific research facility in southeast Des Moines in August and met the bonobos Kanzi, Panbanisha and baby Teco.

Django's burgers hailed as one of the best in the country
October 1, 2010
Le Cheeseburger boasts beeft that's juicy, the bun fresh-baked and the toppings crisp.

Downtown Des Moines Farmers’ Market #4 on list of 12 of America’s Best Local Farmers’ Markets
October 1, 2010
Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market makes delish.com's list for offering some of the best farm-fresh produce around the country.

Des Moines Arts Festival recognized as best in the world
September 21, 2010
The Des Moines Arts Festival won the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) Gold Grand Pinnacle Award, given to the best overall festival and event in the world.

Des Moines officials introduce bike-sharing program
September 9, 2010
Des Moines leaders rolled out a new bicycle sharing program Wednesday that emphasizes fitness, eco-friendly transportation and a new way to get around downtown.

Ankeny earns Playful City USA honor for fourth straight year
August 26, 2010
Ankeny has earned the designation Playful City USA for the fourth consecutive year from the national nonprofit organization KaBOOM.

Urban Renaissance
Summer 2010
DMU Magazine features Des Moines' recent renaissance. Des Moines has seen transformations from sports to recreation to schools to shopping. 

Zoo featured in Wired Blog
July 21, 2010
GeekDad Visits the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines.

Iowa State Fair: A celebration of all things agricultural
July 2010
Every year, Iowans flock to the Des Moines fairgrounds to check out the animal exhibits, eat favorite fair foods (pork chop on a stick, anyone?), hit the midway and watch hog calling and other old-fashioned contests.

Des Moines Events Help Shed 'Boring' Image

July 16, 2010
Des Moines is now on the map as a model city. With the Arts Festival, Winefest, US Track and Field, June brought in nearly $13 million to the local economy. 

Iowa's progress and preservation bodes well for successful meetings
June 2010
While Iowa may seem distant from big regional cities, a network of interstates and airports has helped draw the state steadily closer to its neighbors.

Wing Ding 'do' could set record tonight
July 2, 2010
Earlier this week, though, officials were downplaying the event, saying the parade probably would not set a record.

But the challenge is back on.

Big events to Pack Downtown Des Moines
June 30, 2010
Downtown is the place to be! 

Gold Wing riders roll in to Des Moines for Fourth of July

June 30, 2010
That gentle whirr you heard is coming from motorcycles - Honda Gold Wing motorcycles to be exact. Thousands of these bikes, known more for their purr than their roar, are already in Des Moines.

Economic rumble to be felt from motorcycle convention

June 25, 2010
The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) said the economic impact from Wing Ding 32, the Gold Wing Road Riders Association's annual convention, is estimated to be $4 million.

Des Moines gets 2013 NCAA wrestling tourney
June 26, 2010
NCAA figures show that the wrestling championships have had an average total attendance of 92,554 fans since 2003, when the event began to be held at off-campus major city venues. The record is now held by St. Louis, which drew 97,336 fans in 2009.

Des Moines gets its fifth All-America City Award
June 21, 2010
Des Moines received an All-America City Award on Friday at a ceremony in Kansas City, Mo., hosted by the National Civic League.

Central Iowa snags big events, sets sights up a notch

May 30, 2010
Central Iowa tourism officials say at least 175,000 people are expected to flock to four major sporting events in June, including the Principal Charity Classic, Hy-Vee Triathlon, Iowa Corn Indy 250 and the USA Track and Field Championships. 

Best Cities 2010: Des Moines, Iowa

July 2010
The city is luring back young Iowans and attracting global talent by developing downtown and promoting available jobs in the area.

Vets renovation expected to begin in October
May 13, 2010
The project aims to make the Iowa Events Center complex a larger draw for state, regional and national conventions and exhibitions.

New $15M Fairgrounds Building Almost Done

May 13, 2010
The $15-million Dick Jacobson Exhibition Center is expected to open in time for this year's fair in August.

Pappajohns donate Haring sculpture

May 7, 2010
The new Haring sculpture will be the 25th addition to the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

Rebuilding Perry, Iowa, One Piece at a Time

April 13, 2010
Story by New York Times writer Keith Schneider.

Des Moines Best Place for Business and Careers

April 13, 2010
Leading the way is Des Moines, Iowa, which grabbed the top spot after ranking seventh last year.

Des Moines a finalist for All-America City award

Des Moines is among more than two dozen communities that have been named finalists for the National Civic League's 2010 All-America City awards. Winners will be announced on June 18.

Secrets to 6 Can't-Miss Midwest Events

March 2010
Midwest Living lists the Iowa State Fair. Beat the crowd to this end-of-summer event!

Drake will have "fan zone" at upcoming track meets
March 4, 2010
Drake University and the Des Moines Area Sports Commission announced today the creation of a “fan zone” that will be located adjacent to Drake Stadium for upcoming track meets.

Central Iowa Sports Awards presented

February 21, 2010
Winners for the first-ever Central Iowa Sports Awards were presented at The Meadows Ballroom at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino last night in Altoona.

In Des Moines, Downtown Is a Team Effort
February 16, 2010
Story by New York Times writer Keith Schneider. 

100 Things That Are Getting Better
January 20, 2010
Oprah's list of 100 things that are getting better lists the state of Iowa as #32.

Barnes, Zimmerman lead nominees for local awards
January 14, 2010
Local athletes and teams nominated for first-ever Central Iowa Sports Awards, put out by the Des Moines Area Sports Commission.

45 Best New Midwest Spots to Play, Eat & Stay
January 14, 2010
John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Downtown Des Moines makes the list in Midwest Living.

New maps help visitors, residents access area trails, culture
January 6, 2010
Two new maps showcase trails in Greater Des Moines and Downtown Des Moines, as well as public art.

State Fair receives 11 awards from expo group
December 25, 2009
The best of division and sweepstakes awards were among 11 Ag awards the Iowa State Fair received this month from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions.

Des Moines Ranks #2 as Most Secure Place to Live
December 17, 2009
The rankings were based on:

Des Moines Best City for Business
December 16, 2009
Des Moines' strongest performance was in the unemployment metric, where it had the third-best ranking of all 101 cities. Its jobless rate was 6% in September -- one of three unemployment data points used -- far below the national average of 9.8% for that month.

NCAA Track Championships will be in Des Moines
December 15, 2009
The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee has selected Des Moines for its 2011 and 2012 outdoor track and field championships and Eugene, Ore., for the 2013 and 2014 championships.

Des Moines Ranked #4 Best Bang-For-The-Buck City
December 1, 2009
Affordable home prices and low unemployment help Des Moines nab the #4 spot on the Best-Bang-For-The-Buck city on Forbes.com.

Des Moines 17th Strongest U.S. Metro Economy
December 2009
The Des Moines metro, which includes the state capital, has a highly educated population, including many residents who work in the financial industry. Employment in the Des Moines metro peaked in the first quarter of last year.

Des Moines ranked most-livable bargain market
November 2009
MSN ranks Des Moines most livable bargain market based  on affordability  (ratio of median income to median home price), low unemployment, short commute times, cultural amenities and entertainment and great quality of life.

Forbes.com ranks Iowa the 15th Healthiest State in America
November 17, 2009

Site Selection magazine rates Iowa in top 15 states for business climate
November 16, 2009

Des Moines offers a wealth of military and sports history
November 9, 2009
Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center, Iowa Hall of Pride and Renaissance Savery Hotel are mentioned. 

A Sculpture Garden Energizes Des Moines
October 30, 2009
New York Times features the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. 

Des Moines: Charming, impressive surprising
October 24, 2009
With a sophisticated art scene, major-league restaurants, eye-catching architecture and proud history, Iowa's capital city charms and impresses.

Des Moines ranked #8 Best Places to Launch
October 13, 2009
Once defined by rural stereotypes and wide-open spaces, Des Moines has attracted hundreds of new startups to its revitalized downtown neighborhoods in the past few years thanks to one big factor: Its stable economy.

New Art Parks Enliven Urban Centers

October 1, 2009
In late September, Des Moines saw the much-anticipated opening of the 4.4-acre John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

Iowa Hits the Foodie Radar
September 18, 2009
The Wall Street Journal's Raymond Sokolov checks out three Des Moines eateries, including Azalea Restaurant and Lounge.

Is Iowa Becoming the Next Hollywood?

September 17, 2009
A tax credit for movie producers is helping to create a new business boom in Iowa as films shoot across the state in September.

Pappajohn Sculpture Park gives Des Moines new heart
September 17, 2009
The two dozen sculptures that John and Mary Pappajohn gave to the Des Moines Art Center were recently appraised at about $40 million, which is thought to be the largest public gift in Iowa history.

NASCAR events to return to Iowa
September 15, 2009
NASCAR revealed the 2010 schedules for its three national touring series Tuesday and, as expected, Iowa Speedway in Newton remains a Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series stop.

Autumn colors are easy to find in Iowa
September 14, 2009
Whether you're on a river, in the woods or driving by the famed bridges of Madison County, autumn colors are easy to find in Iowa.

Vote online if you love the farmers' market
September 11, 2009
The Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market this week broke into the top 10 of a national Internet-based campaign designed to promote farmers markets and local food.

Des Moines Art Center to Open New Sculpture Park in Heart of Downtown Des Moines
September 10, 2009
On September 27, 2009, the Des Moines Art Center and the City of Des Moines will open a new 4.4-acre sculpture park in the heart of downtown Des Moines. The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, built directly within a major crossroads of the urban grid, is the largest such park in the United States.

Cost Control: Booking the Destination
September 7, 2009
For the second year in a row, Des Moines, Iowa, tops the list of most affordable U.S. cities to hold tradeshows in.

Look out below- Des Moines Art Center is adding space underground

August 27, 2009
Des Moines Art Center Director Jeff Fleming and architect Kirk Blunck stood about 100 feet west of the art center earlier this week to show how far out a planned $3.5 million addition will reach.

Bass Pro Shops creates buzz - and competition

August 26, 2009
The Altoona store is projected to draw 7 million people a year — roughly double what Prairie Meadows draws now. Altoona leaders believe Bass Pro, located a few blocks west of the casino, eventually will be the catalyst for roughly $200 million in new retail and commercial development.

Food on a stick is only the beginning when waddling through the Iowa State Fair
August 21, 2009
We love to yap about food on a stick during this time of year, but that’s only a part of what wows the crowd and elevates caloric intake at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

'Experiment' producer talks about Des Moines
August 21, 2009
Hollywood Movie Producer John Michaels is used to bigger cities. His last film, ‘13,’ starring Mickey Rourke, was shot in New York. But he’s high on Des Moines, its hospitality, its work ethic. ‘They’re very cool and down to Earth,’ he says of the people.

Basu: Welcome lights, camera and movie action in Iowa
August 19, 2009
A Hollywood movie producer enjoys Des Moines' hospitality, work ethic.

GDMCVB President Greg Edwards Talks Restaurant Week on KIOA 93.3
August 19, 2009
Greg Edwards, President and CEO of the GDMCVB, promotes Des Moines’ second annual Restaurant Week.

 

42 Restaurants Offer Deals on Dining
August 18, 2009
Some 42 Des Moines metro restaurants are planning to participate in Restaurant Week and offer special deals to get your dollars.

Rock legend Springsteen to play Sept. 21 in Des Moines
August 12, 2009
Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band will bring their "Working on a Dream" tour to Wells Fargo Arena.

Des Moines Unveils First Hybrid Bus
August 3, 2009
Hybrid buses are coming to Des Moines.

AAU Junior Olympics
August 1, 2009
AAU Junior Olympics officials estimate around 700 volunteers are currently working throughout the event.

“It’s a great sign,” said Al Lorenzen, vice president of sports development for the Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The city of Des Moines supports these events and volunteers is one of the ways that we see that.”

Balloon Classic celebrates 40 years of floating
July 30, 2009
It's hard to imagine a time when Indianola, Iowa, and hot air ballooning were not nearly synonymous. But it was the summer of '69 when the first national ballooning event was held in Warren County.

NASCAR, Junior Olympics To Boost Economy
July 30, 2009
The Des Moines area economy is expecting a big boost in the coming days as the Nationwide NASCAR race rolls into Newton and Junior Olympic Athletes head to downtown Des Moines.

Aug. 27 grand opening set for Bass Pro Shop in Altoona
July 29, 2009
The 145,000-square foot Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World will hold a grand-opening celebration Aug. 27.

Junior Olympics to bring economic infusion to Des Moines area
July 28, 2009
Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau President Greg Edwards said the Junior Olympics, which also visited Des Moines in 1995 and 2004, should again provide a "pretty substantial" economic wallop to local businesses. Al Lorenzen, vice president of sports and development for the visitors bureau, said organizers had set aside 24,000 hotel rooms as of last week.

America's Top States for Business
July 24, 2009
CNBC scored all 50 states—using publicly available data—on 40 different measures of competitiveness. (Iowa is #4.) 

Big changes in store for 2010 Festa Italiana
July 22, 2009
Starting next year, the Society of Italian Americans - Des Moines (SIA), which hosts the Festa Italiana, the Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa, and the Vittoria Lodge are hoping to join forces to present a bigger, better event with a new name, to be held on the Court Avenue bridge.


Move over, Napa Valley: We're No. 1
July 22, 2009
The Upper Mississippi River Valley covers a whopping 29,914 square miles and encompasses portions of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. That's 39 times the Napa Valley's 759 or so square miles.


Volunteers still needed for AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines
July 21, 2009
Volunteers or volunteer groups can sign up for one shift, a full day or a entire event at DesMoinesSports.com.


Des Moines' Meeting Markets
July 16, 2009
The July Issue of Association News spotlights two major expansions and other changes in the meeting markets taking place in Greater Des Moines. 

Ankeny again named as Playful City USA
July 16, 2009
Ankeny is one of 22 cities around the country noted as a Playful City USA community for the third consecutive year.

Best Places to Live 2009
July 13, 2009
Urbandale (#42) and Ankeny (#62) made CNN Money's list of America's 100 best small towns.


Des Moines Ranked 20th In Safe Driving Report
July 8, 2009
Allstate Insurance Company said in a release Wednesday that Des Moines drivers rank 20th on a list of America’s 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency.

Gold Wing motorcycle association plans 2010 convention, record ride in DM
July 2, 2009
A national club plans to bring 8,000 Honda Gold Wing motorcycles to Des Moines a year from now and hopes to set a world record with a nine-mile continuous parade of riders through metro-area streets.

USA Track and Field Championships: Drake collects ideas on hosting next year
June 27, 2009
"I'm not above at all looking at what they're doing out here and getting ideas. They've set the bar pretty high and now it's Des Moines' job and our job to try to make sure we live up to that," said Al Lorenzen of the Des Moines Area Sports Commission.


New chef energizes Sbrocco's kitchen
June 25, 2009
Andrew Meek, formerly the chef/owner of Sage Restaurant, has taken over the kitchen at Sbrocco Wine Bar and Wine Shop.


Pappajohn Sculpture Park: The 24 sculptures
June 17, 2009
Des Moines philanthropists John and Mary Pappajohn have donated 24 works of art, valued at more than $25 million,
to the Des Moines Art Center. The sculptures have begun to arrive in the Downtown Gateway Park. The Grand Opening is scheduled for September 26, 2009.

Des Moines economy rated 14th strongest
June 17, 2009
The Des Moines metro economy was the 14th-strongest in the nation in the first quarter of 2009, based on factors like employment, wages, home prices and foreclosures, a new report from the Brookings Institution shows.


DSM #12 in U.S. for Young Professionals to Work & Live
June 11, 2009
According to the Next Generation Committee, the seven indexes of a "Next City" are: Earning, Learning, Vitality, Around Town, After Hours, Cost of Lifestyle, and Social Capital. The rankings announced today are based on a city's total score in all seven indexes.


Chef George Formaro brings national notice to dining scene in Des Moines
June 8, 2009
Ten things you should know about George Formaro, the scruffy 41-year-old chef and co-owner of the successful Centro and Django restaurants in Downtown Des Moines.


Summer Vacation Idea: Living History Farms
June 8, 2009
Living History Farms offers family fun!


Sculpture park fills with beams of inspiration in Downtown Des Moines
June 5, 2009
The grand opening isn't scheduled until Sept. 26, but there has been a burst of progress in the past few weeks as crews installed several sculptures.


Downtown Des Moines: Parks, Art Architecture
May 26, 2009
ABC News Travel
Like many cities around the country, Des Moines has experienced a renaissance of its downtown and riverfront.


Second round of participants announced for 2009 Restaurant Week
May 19, 2009
Restaurant Week will take place August 21-20. 


First round of participants announced for 2009 Restaurant Week
May 19, 2009
Restaurant Week will take place August 21-20. 

Put a little past in your future with Midwestern living history
May 17, 2009
The Chicago Tribune featured a story on living-history museums, including Living History Farms in Urbandale, IA.


Market Season
May 15, 2009
AmericanWay magazine names Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market a must-see market.

Polk County leaders back renovation of Vets Auditorium
May 13, 2009
Polk County leaders vote to forge ahead with a $41.8 million makeover at Veterans Memorial Auditorium that they hope will attract more conventions to Downtown Des Moines.


Hotel Fort Des Moines will become a Hilton
May 12, 2009
Hotel Fort Des Moines will become Hilton Hotel Fort Des Moines late next year or early 2011. 


Iowa ranked #6 bicycle friendly state
May 12, 2009
Iowa moves up 15 spots to #6 in the second annual ranking by the League of American Bicyclists.


Promo train to stop near market
May 8, 2009
Governor's Train Day Special will stop just south of the Downtown Farmers' Market tomorrow.


Fort Des Moines Museum to hold memorial, open house

May 8, 2009
The Fort Des Moines Museum will host a Memorial Day service for men and women in the Armed Forces at noon May 21.

Best Midwest Food Towns
May 1, 2009
Des Moines is #5 on Midwest Living's best food towns in the Midwest list.

D.M. hosts top 20 tours in first quarter '09
April 23, 2009
Entertainment venues in Des Moines have hosted 20 of the top 100 tours in the first quarter of 2009.


Geek Getaways
April 21, 2009
The Great Ape Trust in Des Moines is featured as a scientific hotspot in Popular Science magazine.


100th Drake Relays Open Wednesday
April 21, 2009

Phil Keoghan Bikes Across Iowa
April 20, 2009
Video clip of Phil Keoghan story on KCCI.


Amazing Race Host Phil Keoghan on Star 102.5
April 17, 2009
The host of Amazing Race was on the air promoting Phil's Ride Across America.

Cities Greet Meeting Planners with Open Arms
April 14, 2009
Des Moines rolls out the red carpet for meeting planners.


Farming through the Centuries
April 12, 2009
Iowa farm (Living History Farms) lets guests shuck corn, groom horses, spin wool.

Iowa Hall of Pride Featured in Wichita Cultural Travel Examiner
April 8, 2009
For those who can't get enough sports, get your fix from four Midwest attractions.
 

Gay Marriages Could Boost Iowa Economy
April 5, 2009
The Supreme Court's ruling states gay marriage is legal under Iowa's constitution. "We don't care the race, creed, religion, whatever it is. A visitor is a visitor and they all spend money," said Greg Edwards of the CVB.

Watch the video
here.

America's Most Livable Cities
April 1, 2009
Forbes.com has ranked Des Moines as the #3 most livable city. Cities on the list were chosen due to quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, including income growth per household, cost of living, crime data, leisure index and annual unemployment statistics.

Head farther afield for spring
March 27, 2009
Des Moines has plenty of interesting attractions to check out during spring break. The Milwauke• Wisconsin Journal Sentinel gives a list of places for the family to enjoy.


WOW! Des Moines
March/April 2009
Meetings MidAmerica covers the new construction in Downtown Des Moines, including changes in the Historic East Village near the State Capitol.


Great Ape Trust expands experience to children
March 18, 2009
Great Ape Trust is expanding membership and visitation opportunities to children of all ages and adding a family package to membership options. Tours have also been scheduled longer -- a full three hours.


Des Moines #10 Mid-sized Metro With Best Quality of Life
March 16, 2009
As an appealing alternative to the big city, mid-sized metros were scored based on healthy economies, light traffic, moderate costs of living, impressive housing stocks and strong educational systems.


2009 State Fair Grandstand Lineup Announced
March 11, 2009
The Fair lineup includes headliners like Kelly Clarkson, Journey and Heart. Grandstand tickets go on sale Saturday, April 11. 


New Group Pushes for Light Rail in Des Moines
March 11, 2009
A light rail from Des Moines to Iowa City to Chicago could give visitors a fast and economically-friendly way  to travel to Des Moines.


Will Polk County Expand Iowa Events Center?
March 11, 2009
The Polk County Board of Supervisors plans to make a decision on expanding the Iowa Events Center within the next 45 days.


80/35 Festival Finds New Location
March 3, 2009
80/35 will be held in a new location. The event will be held in the eastern section of Western Gateway Park, west of the Central Library.


Jason's Deli #2 on Healthiest Fast Food Chains
March 2, 2009
Harry Smith on the Early Show reviewed the top ten healthiest restaurants with the Health Magazine senior editor.


Des Moines Tea Shop Providing Gifts for Oscar Party
February 20, 2009
A Central Iowa shop will have its products featured at an exclusive pre-Oscar party hosted by Leeza Gibbons of "Entertainment Tonight" and singer-actress Olivia Newton John.


Sculpture Park Mentioned in NY Times
February 19, 2009
The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Garden was featured in the New York Times. 


Time.com Spotlights Iowa State Fair
Iowa State Fair named one of America's 50 Authentic Experiences.

100 Years Serving Greater Des Moines
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau was recognized in the Des Moines Register for celebrating 100 years of service to Greater Des Moines.


Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau celebrates 100th anniversary and strong tourism numbers. In 2007, Greater Des Moines hosted over 2.7 million visitors who spent $1.6 billion between Polk and Dallas counties, according to the Economic Impact of Travel Study released by the Iowa Department of Economic Development’s Iowa Tourism Office. This makes up one quarter of Iowa’s $6.3 billion in travel expenditures.

“This is great news for our state and for Greater Des Moines,” said Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau (GDMCVB) President/CEO Greg Edwards. “This shows that our commitment to promoting the community through various marketing efforts and conventions, events and sports incentives is working.” 

50 Authentic American Experiences
November 2008
The Iowa State Fair gets props from Time magazine as one of the top 50 authentic American experiences. 

5 Markets to Make Money
Des Moines Ranks as #5

October 27, 2008

Controlling Costs Getting the Best Deal
Des Moines Ranks as Top Destination
September 8, 2008
By examining the federal government's 2008 Domestic Per Diem Rates for meals and incidentals, Smith Travel Research's survey of domestic hotel rates and Tradeshow Week's 2008 Survey of U.S. and Canadian Labor Rates, TSW editors determined what could be the most affordable U.S. cities to hold tradeshows in. (Greg Edwards, GDMCVB President/CEO, quoted.)

Definitely Des Moines
September 2008
Representatives of the area are proud of this diversity and also point to recent infrastructure growth–some $1.5 billion spent over the past five years in downtown alone–that makes the area even more attractive to a variety of groups, namely regional and national small to midsize meetings. (Greg Edwards, GDMCVB President/CEO, quoted.)

2008 Best Cities
No. 9: Des Moines, IA
July 2008
Des Moines' friendly hometown atmosphere, top public schooling and affordable cost of living make it an ideal place to raise a family. But it also has big city amenities, including a growing arts scene with galleries, a symphony orchestra, a ballet and opera, trendy shops and an expanding skyscraper cityscape.

The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
May 20, 2008

The Rockettes–In Des Moines?
April 7, 2008
Des Moines' renaissance is the renaissance of downtown, where 80,000 people work. Improvements started in the 1990s, when political and business leaders drew up a list of 20 projects to burnish the city's luster. Eighteen of these, including a river walk, a sports arena, an arts center and a science center, are now done or started.

The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
April 4, 2008
Des Moines, Iowa is ranked #6.

Best Walking City in Iowa
March 2008

Des Moines: Trendy?
December 11, 2007
"...so if you find yourself in Des Moines–whether it's for the caucuses or not–be sure to try out a couple of my favorite downtown experience that just might convince you that the rumors are true: Des Moines is on its way to becoming a real city.

Centro, Des Moines, Iowa
December 8, 2007
As its name implies, Centro is located in the heart of Downtown Des Moines, near the campaign headquarters of several presidential hopefuls.

Des Moines
In the Spotlight, Ready for Its Close-Up
December 2, 2007
I'm not sure I would go so far as to say that Des Moines has become a vacation destination. But it has most certainly become cool. More than that, if you have any desire to witness presidential candidates in the most close-up and intimate of settings, there is arguably no place better to go than Des Moines. If the city itself was once a reason not to come, it has now in fact become an added draw.