“You’ve really thought of everything,” Durham said as she toured The Pavilion complex at Corridor Plaza in Fort Dodge.

Durham was briefed by City of Fort Dodge Chief Development Officer Chad Schaeffer on the facility, which already has a number of organizations and businesses excited about hosting events and tournaments.

According to Schaeffer, Play4Him basketball which has been based out of Jefferson, will now be headquartered in The Pavilion complex, as will the Fort Dodge Storm volleyball team. The space is also already hosting basketball camps and had 70 students practicing inside The Pavilion last week.

“We’re excited about this whole space and the opportunities that it’s bringing to Fort Dodge,” Schaeffer told Durham.

-Messenger photo by Kelli Bloomquist
Standing along the upper mezzanine of The Pavilion, the new sports facility at Corridor Plaza, City of Fort Dodge Chief Development Officer Chad Schaeffer tells Debi Durham about some of the upcoming uses for The Pavillion.

During Monday morning’s tour of The Pavilion complex, Schaeffer explained that three retail spaces near the east entrance of the building have all been purchased by one business and will be used by a sports speed and agility training company. The company will also bring batting cages, turf, and pitching mounds to the space as they help with individual and group workouts. A restaurant within The Pavilion is also in the works, with leaders considering a sit-down eatery with the potential for grab-and-go menu options. The Pavilion also includes a concession stand inside as well.

“This is a great space,” said Durham. “There are so many uses for it. This is such a great asset to the Fort Dodge community as well as for the many that will be coming in for events, eating at restaurants, shopping locally, and staying here. This is fantastic.”

According to Schaeffer, The Pavilion includes five basketball courts, five volleyball courts, will include three-row high bleachers for spectators as well as viewing space in the mezzanine above. Walkers in the community will also soon be able to get their steps in inside The Pavilion as well.

“Outdoor concerts, craft shows, large wrestling meets, there are so many different ways that we’re planning to pack this place,” said Schaeffer.

Durham also raved about the open air mall complex that includes Dunhams, Shoe Sensation, Maurices, Ulta Beauty, UnityPoint Express, Chick-Fil-A, as well as an outdoor gathering space that will include a stage, decorative concrete, a water fountain, and turf which will break ground next month.

“Wow,” said Durham. “This is fantastic. You’re really doing a great job and are farther along than most of our reinvestment projects. Unbelievable. I love this.”

Schaeffer also told Durham about the construction currently being done for the new AutoZone and Dairy Queen buildings and noted that there are discussions currently happening with a new hotel and restaurant that are interested in coming to the complex.

“This is amazing,” said Durham. “Very progressive, and so much thought and vision towards the future has gone into this. To see it before all of this and to see it now, it’s amazing. Congratulations. This is a fantastic reinvestment into the community and you’re one of the most successful communities doing it.”

Durham also toured the Matt Cosgrove River’s Edge Discovery Center Monday and learned about the new building and the community programs being provided.

“We worked with the city on this project and they’ve been a valuable partner, as has the state, in helping to put this together,” said Matt Cosgrove, Webster County Conservation director. “Destination Iowa helped to push us over the finish line in fundraising. Collectively we are doing a $20 million investment in quality of life and this is the first phase of that.”

Cosgrove noted that the county also has four additional projects in process that are all trail projects which connect to the River’s Edge Discovery Center and throughout the county and in area small communities.

“Destination Iowa really helped us to get there,” said Cosgrove. “We have Great Places monies, IDALS storm water and wetland. It’s been an all hands on deck between state, federal, city, county, fundraising. We’ve raised about $575,000 locally in the community and we’re showing that with our donor plaques throughout the center.”

Durham toured the River’s Edge Discovery Center taking in the exhibits and murals and was able to see the meeting spaces which are available to the public at no charge.

“We try to incorporate as many local things as possible,” said Cosgrove. “We’re water themed, so immerse yourself in the story of Iowa’s water. We talk a lot about and teach kids who come in about Iowa’s natural resources.”

“I love all of the natural elements that you’ve used,” said Durham of the center.

Both the River’s Edge Discovery Center and The Pavilion complex are multimillion dollar projects that state grants helped to fund. The Matt Cosgrove River’s Edge Discovery Center received $4 million in grant funding as did the multiple trail projects being completed throughout the county. The overall Pavilion project is $12 million and part of a $90 million reinvestment in the old mall space. The city will receive $17 million through the state’s reinvestment district program for the pavilion project.

“This is really fantastic,” said Durham. “You’re really doing a great job. The smaller communities are doing better than the bigger cities. Unless you have a community that’s willing to step up with the financing and the support, it just doesn’t work. It’s very difficult. Fort Dodge has fantastic support from county and city leaders. You have wonderful manufacturers and industries here. You have a fantastic community college, and you have leaders who support the community.”