See new plans for The Grand Experience waterpark in West Des Moines
New plans up for approval on Friday, July 10 for The Grand Experience include a 6,000-seat amphitheater and a second hotel.
Designs for The Grand Experience waterpark, hotel and convention center complex planned for West Des Moines continue to evolve, with a new development agreement expected to be approved on Friday, July 10.
New documents released Wednesday, July 8, show key changes from past plans for the development to be located on the north and south sides of Grand Avenue from South 88th Street to South 60th Street. And the amount of tax incentives to be awarded to the Grand Experience’s developer has increased to incorporate one of those changes — a covered live entertainment amphitheater that could seat at least 6,000 people.
The original development agreement for the $400-plus million project to be built on 226 acres of land was approved in December 2024. A revised agreement was approved in October 2025.
The new agreement with developer Jim Bergman’s WDM Entertainment LLC is scheduled for West Des Moines City Council’s consideration at 7:30 a.m. Friday, July 10.
Here is what to know about the latest plans for The Grand Experience and its accompanying “The Grand Arrival” and “The Grand Shore” areas.
What is included in The Grand Experience?
A map released Wednesday shows The Grand Experience area on the north side of Grand Avenue across from the MidAmerican Energy Co. RecPlex would include a 35,000-square-foot conference center with an attached 142-room business class hotel.
The Grand Arrival area of the complex, on the south side of Grand Avenue at South 88th Street, would include an at-minimum 45,000-square-foot indoor water park, an adjacent family entertainment center and 120-room water park hotel, and the amphitheater.
The Grand Shore, south of Grand Avenue and east of the RecPlex, would include workforce housing, restaurants and retail establishments. The Grand Experience complex is expected to include at least 150 workforce housing units in total.
Previous plans called for a 78,000-square-foot waterpark, 34,000-square-foot conference center and one 260-room hotel.
When might construction start and finish for The Grand Experience?
Instead of possibly starting late this year, initial construction is “anticipated to begin in late 2027,” according to a City of West Des Moines document.
The estimated timeline to full completion is the same as before — from 8 to 10 years.
City to offer $20 million more on top of large incentive package
The new development agreement includes up to $105.5 million in tax incentives instead of the previous $85.5 million, because of the addition of the amphitheater.
In addition to the maximum of $20 million in tax increment financing assistance for the amphitheater, the indoor water park, family entertainment center and accompanying hotel could receive up to $45 million in assistance. The conference center and its hotel could receive up to $25 million. And $15.5 million is allocated for workforce housing.
But the property tax rebates have been reduced from 100% down to 90% of annual tax increment generated, and the payout period is capped at 23 years to be in line with the recent state changes in property tax law.
The developer would also no longer receive up to $5.7 million in hotel/motel sales tax collections.
Grand Avenue widening no longer part of agreement
The city previously planned to use $15 million of tax increment financing revenues from The Grand Experience on road projects including the widening of Grand Avenue to six lanes from Interstate 35 to South 60th Street and South Jordan Creek Parkway.
But the city has already moved forward widening Grand Avenue to South 60th Street and will soon begin the widening of Grand Avenue to Jordan Creek Parkway, so the TIF revenues are no longer needed to finance the work.
Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at [email protected]. Find out more about him online in the Register’s staff directory.
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