Elite basketball prep school plans Des Moines expansion
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Iowa United Basketball's campus in Des Moines. Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios
Iowa United Basketball could invest millions of dollars to build a private outdoor recreation and training area.
Why it matters: The project is another major investment by founder Mark Scharnberg in the scholarship-based prep school he and his wife fund.
Driving the news: On Monday, the Des Moines City Council will hold a public hearing on a zoning amendment that would allow private outdoor sports and recreation uses on about 10.6 acres near 2400 Gannett Ave.
Catch up quick: Scharnberg — president of Katecho, a manufacturer specializing in medical and cosmetic products — launched the private Christian basketball school last year.
- The school, which is part of Oakmoor Academy, operates from a renovated 73,000-square-foot warehouse near the airport that includes basketball courts, a performance training center and housing for up to 24 boys.
Flashback: Scharnberg told Axios at the time that he was investing about $150,000 per athlete annually and hoped that expanded academics and sponsorships would eventually make the program financially sustainable.
Yes, but: That's no longer the plan. Scharnberg says he and his wife have decided to treat Iowa United as a "passion project" and expect to continue funding it themselves.
- Iowa United has also dropped the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) spring/summer component of its program, so students are no longer in Des Moines year-round, Scharnberg said.
Context: Scharnberg says recruiting players for both the school and its AAU team proved difficult, and keeping high school students away from their families for most of the year was challenging.
- The program now runs roughly from late August through early April, allowing players to return home and compete with AAU teams elsewhere in the spring and summer.
Zoom in: The outdoor area will be developed in phases and could eventually include a basketball court, soccer field, outdoor performance center and picnic area.
- Initial earthwork, fencing, a retaining wall and road could cost $500,000 to $1 million, with additional amenities added over several years. Major construction will likely start next year, Scharnberg tells Axios.
What we're watching: Whether Scharnberg continues funding Iowa United at its current level as the school expands.
- The program had a notable early success: Arafan Diané became a McDonald's All-American and is now a freshman at the University of Houston.