Des Moines Lands Three More Years of Pool Players

The Iowa State Pool Players Association has selected Des Moines to host the 2018, 2019 and 2020 8-Ball and 9-Ball Championships. The Championships, which will be held at the Iowa Events Center, are the largest independent state level amateur pool tournament in the country with 2,000 participants and more than 160 pool tables. Over the course of three years, it will attribute to more than 7,200 hotel room nights and an estimated $4.9 in economic impact in Greater Des Moines. 

“We’re thrilled to continue hosting the Iowa State Pool Players Association,” says Greg Edwards, President and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau and Des Moines Area Sports Commission. “For four years, we’ve been able to provide participants a unique, first-class experience in Greater Des Moines. This event is another example of the wide-range of diverse sporting events our city can accommodate.”

The Des Moines Area Sports Commission presented to league operators in July, securing the three-year bid. Des Moines first hosted the event in 2013 and has welcomed pool players every year since.

“The ISPA is excited to extend its contract with the Iowa Event Center through the year 2020, allowing our tournament to continue its tradition of excellence in the very best possible venue in the state of Iowa,” said Julie Guzman, Tournament Co-Director of Iowa State Pool Players Association.

The tournament includes multiple divisions of play for men, women and juniors. Attending the Championships is free for spectators. For more information on the 8-Ball and 9-Ball Championships, visit ispa-billiards.org.

The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, the parent organization of the Des Moines Area Sports Commission, is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to market the region as a visitor destination increasing economic growth and enhancing the visitor experience. The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau and Des Moines Area Sports Commission represent the following municipalities: Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Perry, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Polk County, Urbandale, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights.