Source: Des Moines Register
Philip Joens, September 19th 2023

The Johnston City Council approved a tax increment financing incentive package for a developer proposing a hotel and strip mall near the site of a youth sports complex and recreation center under construction.

On Monday night, the Johnston City Council approved plans to give developer The Christensen Trust up to $3.1 million through tax increment financing if it builds a strip mall and hotel on Merle Hay Road south of Pagliai’s Pizza. The site sits across from the planned 250,000-square-foot Ignit youth sports complex and the Bombers entertainment complex at 5055 Merle Hay Road in Johnston.

The 11,881-square-foot strip mall would have six tenant bays and cost at least $2.5 million to build, according to the Johnston City Council agenda. A hotel would offer at least 100 rooms, a pool, meeting room and “amenities consistent with at least mid-level hotels in the market,” according to the council agenda. The hotel will cost a minimum of $10 million to construct, according to the agenda. In all, tax increment financing proceeds for the hotel would be capped at $2.5 million and at $600,000 for the strip mall.

A ceremonial groundbreaking for Ignit was planned for Tuesday morning, but was postponed because of severe thunderstorms over the Des Moines area. Ignit will feature an indoor track, full-size indoor soccer field, fitness areas, eight basketball/volleyball courts and outdoor fields. The project, spearheaded by Ignit Sports and Fitness of Grimes, expects to open in late 2024.

The Des Moines metro is gaining several indoor golf-restaurant options. Here’s a look:

Ignit will sit across from the privately built Bombers entertainment complex at 5055 Merle Hay Road in Johnston.

Bombers was originally envisioned to be an adult-oriented driving range that uses the proprietary Topgolf technology, Toptracer. But it pivoted to include more options when Topgolf announced its plans to build in West Des Moines last year. Now Bombers will have 36 golf hitting bays, an axe throwing center and a 12-lane bowling alley.

An indoor mini-golf course will snake through the arcade. And a putt-putt golf course outside will be similar to those at Tiger Woods’ upscale Popstroke restaurants, which eschew windmills and plastic dinosaurs and look like miniature versions of traditional golf holes.

VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Source: Des Moines Register