Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios
Polk County supervisors approved $6 million in federal coronavirus relief funding Tuesday to cover pandemic-related losses at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Des Moines.
What's happening: The county signed off on the allocation Tuesday despite having only received a portion of the roughly $95M allocated through President Biden's $1.9 trillion virus aid package in March.
Between the lines: The hotel's success is in Polk County's interest since its ownership is expected to transfer to the county after it is paid for, likely around 2047.
- The $101M, 330-room hotel opened in 2017, using public and private money via a nonprofit established by Polk County.
By the numbers: In addition to the hotel allocation, nearly $25M will help cover the county government's 2020 pandemic losses. Tuesday’s other allocations:
- Emergency Management: $576.1K to upgrade the county agency's technology.
- Urban seeding: $250K for a seeder to plant cover crops upstream of Polk County for a water improvement program.
- Healthy Homes: $195K for a program that aims to improve living environments for children with asthma.
- Mental health clinician: $120K for training and equipment to add the position to a mobile crisis team.
Of note: Des Moines, which is also slated to receive around $95M in federal COVID relief, hopes to allocate its portion in coming weeks, city spokesperson Al Setka told us yesterday.
- The city is still waiting on feedback from federal officials, Setka said.

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