Live Nation’s Proposal For Des Moines Venue Passed On

– Live Nation Logo 2017

Live Nation’s hopes of expanding into Des Moines, Iowa, have been dashed, for now at least.

The promoter made a proposal to turn Des Moines’ Argonne Armory building, which currently houses city offices, into a 2,000-capacity venue with an 800-capacity satellite room last month. 

The project would have cost an estimated $12 to $15 million and would have been the first Live Nation-promoted venue in the Iowa Capitol. 

But officials announced May 10 that the city will retain ownership over the building after a feasibility test found that relocating staff would be more expansive than anticipated, according to the Des Moines Register. 

The proposal was met with opposition by local music advocates, who argued that Live Nation would put locally owned venues at risk of going out of business.  A total of 371 people signed an online petition in opposition to the project. 

Christensen Development President Jake Christensen, who partnered with Live Nation on the proposal, told the paper he is still open to working with Live Nation to open a new venue in Des Moines, which currently lacks a venue in the 2,000-capacity range. 

“We worked pretty hard and we met with a lot of people both for and against and learned a lot through the process,” he said. 

Still, local promoters hope to open their own venue of same size as the Live Nation project. 

“When it comes to what could be potentially a subsidized relationship, we think the city should look at the people that are [promoting music] here currently,” Amedeo Rossi, who owns Des Moines’ 230-capacity Vaudeville Mews, told the paper.