Polk County is putting the Iowa Events Center management contract up for bid for the first time since the downtown complex opened more than 20 years ago.

Why it matters: The next operator will shape how well the Iowa Events Center competes for concerts, conventions and NCAA events — and how much money the county receives from the publicly owned venue.

Catch up quick: Oak View Group (OVG), through predecessor companies Global Spectrum/Spectra, has managed the events center since 2005.

• The complex includes the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, EMC Expo Center and Casey's Center.

Driving the news: Supervisors are expected to vote today on whether to hire JLL Consulting to assist with the procurement process, the contract framework and first-year oversight of the next operator.

• If approved, the county will pay JLL $197,500 for its assistance.

Context: Local governments in the metro have recently faced scrutiny for awarding long-term contracts without seeking competitive bids.

• Des Moines council members, for example, recently approved a 15-year golf management contract without a public bidding process, drawing criticism from residents and competitors.

Zoom in: Iowa law requires competitive bidding for many public construction projects, but long-term venue operating contracts are not subject to the same statewide rebidding requirements.

What they're saying: County officials notified OVG more than six months ago that the contract would be put out to bid as part of a broader push for consistency and transparency in contracting, events center general manager Chris Connolly tells Axios.

• OVG will bid on the contract, he said.

By the numbers: OVG reported a $1.84 million profit to Polk County in FY 2025 and more than $20 million in cumulative returns since it began managing the events center.

• It's projecting roughly $2 million in profits for the county in the fiscal year ending this month.

State of play: The profits are notable because many convention centers operate at a deficit to generate broader economic impact, Connolly said.

• OVG has also assisted with recent naming-rights agreements, including a 10-year Casey's Center deal worth more than $18.3 million and a 10-year EMC Expo Center deal worth nearly $6.3 million.

The intrigue: Polk County recently amended OVG's contract, allowing OVG to book events at Iowa State venues, including Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum.

• That agreement allocates 10% of OVG's net revenue from those bookings to Polk County.
• If another company is hired to manage the events center, Polk County would no longer receive that revenue.

What we're watching: Whether the bid process helps Polk County secure a better deal — either by prompting OVG to offer stronger financial terms or by attracting another operator that promises more revenue, better bookings or tighter performance standards.

Welcome to our new series, Water Cooler Talk, where we answer your water quality and food questions.

• We got several questions last week about buying a reverse osmosis (RO) water filtration system, so let's dive in.

Context: RO systems are the most practical way of removing nitrates in your drinking water (a typical Brita won't cut it).

• Nitrates occur naturally in soil and water, but elevated levels in drinking water are often linked to fertilizer runoff, wastewater and animal manure.

How it works: Think of your RO system like a strict bouncer at the club.

• The door (the filtration membrane) is tiny enough to let water pass through while turning away many contaminants.
• Because water doesn't naturally want to move through such a tiny door, the system uses pressure to push it through.
• Meanwhile, things that you don't want are too big to get past the bouncer, like nitrates, lead and arsenic.

State of play: The biggest decision is whether you want to lose counter space or cabinet space under your sink.

• The other thing to look for is whether the filtration system meets NSF/ANSI Standard 58 for RO systems, per Wirecutter.
• Wirecutter recommends Cloud RO ($600) for under the sink because it's quiet and compact. They also recommend AquaTrue Classic (starting at $420) for a countertop model.

Linh's thought bubble: I use a cheaper countertop RO system that wasn't recommended by Wirecutter, and isn't certified.

• But when I tested my nitrate levels before and after, there was a noticeable decrease.

The big picture: Be wary of people out there taking advantage of Iowans' current water concerns and jacking up prices.

The bottom line: You can test your drinking water by requesting free nitrate test strips from the Izaak Walton League.

Go deeper

🎉 A grand opening for the new Gray's Station developments in downtown DSM, including a clubhouse and condos, is set for Thursday. (Business Record)

🧑‍⚖️ An Iowa appeals court ordered a retrial in a case where Urbandale schools were accused of failing to protect a student from sexual assault and harassment by a classmate after a jury in 2024 found the district at fault. (DSM Register)

🥕 Mayalu Coffee owner Deep Paudel started the Southside Sunday Market outside Southridge Mall after noticing there was no farmers market on the south side of Des Moines. (dsm Magazine)

🗳️ A State Objections Panel ruled that Libertarian candidates running for governor and the 3rd Congressional District should be taken off the ballot this November. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Jason here: AE Dairy recently unveiled two new products that I cannot get enough of.

• Parmesan garlic cottage cheese
• Hot honey sour cream dip

Zoom in: I added the cottage cheese to a spinach enchilada recipe, resulting in a creamy, savory dish with no leftovers. I look forward to mixing in garden tomatoes and eating them as a side.

• The sour cream is spicy and perfect for tortilla chips and for baked potatoes.

What they're saying: Both products are part of the Des Moines-based dairy's flavor cycles and may not be around forever, AE spokesperson Trisha Barton tells Axios.

Yes, but: Sales of the cottage cheese have already surpassed those of most other flavors, so it will likely stick around for a while, she said.

What's next: AE will roll out scotcheroo chocolate milk as a fall flavor.

💡 Got any flavor ideas for AE?

• Hit reply. We'll share a few in an upcoming newsletter.