Iowa State’s CyTown makes good progress

Article posted by Coliseum, March 5^th, 2025

Image: Iowa State University

Iowa State University Athletics has presented a progress update and visual preview of its mixed-use CyTown development and its future amenities.

Iowa State Daily said athletics director Jamie Pollard unveiled the update in a video highlighting a hotel, amphitheater and clinic–as well as an expected timeline for development.

CyTown is a unique, year-round destination to be built in the heart of the Iowa State Center–between Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum–that will enrich Central Iowa for generations to come, the athletics department said.

The announcement follows a January 15 approval by the Board of Regents allowing the CyTown project to move forward.

The recent regents’ decision also approved bringing on Goldenrod Companies as the master developer for the project, according to Pollard.

University President Wendy Wintersteen said, “The updated plans for CyTown provide an exciting look at how we will reinvigorate the Iowa State Center, expand the ISU Research Park’s footprint and create new amenities and attractions to enhance our campus and community.

“I appreciate Jamie Pollard’s leadership, the work of our partner, Goldenrod, and the support of donors who are helping bring our vision to life.”

CyTown will feature eight new buildings on the 94-acre site in addition to the five existing buildings that make up the Iowa State Center complex. The buildings are expected to house 575,000 square feet of space, Pollard said.

Within the master plan is a seven-story, 200-room hotel to be named “The Cardinal,” which will be attached to the Scheman Building and Hilton Coliseum via skywalk.

The Cardinal will feature a rooftop bar and patio and will be branded an Iowa State property. However, it will be managed by Marriott, according to Pollard.

Serving as the “gateway” into CyTown will be a 15,000-square-foot food and beverage building that plans to host “diverse eating options, from casual eateries to fine dining,” according to the video presentation.

The plan also includes two resident suite buildings, each housing 30 units, for donors and alumni to lease from the university. These will be sold over the “next six months to fans and donors,” Pollard said.

Pollard said, “They’ll be two to three bedroom units roughly around 1,600 square feet. We look at these as really unique opportunities for our alums, our constituents, to have a place on campus when they come back for football games, basketball games, alumni events.”

Roughly 70,000 square feet of retail space and 90,000 square feet of office space will also be constructed. This will come in the form of two buildings, each housing three office levels above retail space on the ground level.

Pollard added, “What we have to be able to do, to make CyTown really viable, is bring other people throughout the day, 24/7, 365 days a year.

“It can’t just be football games and basketball games and events at Iowa State Center.”

Pollard described the 2800-seat outdoor amphitheater, branded the “Sukup Cylo,” as the “crown jewel” of CyTown and cited it as a major attraction to bring visitors to the CyTown space.

He added, “A really unique idea–that we’ve copied from the Dallas Cowboys–will be a replica Jack Trice Stadium Field that fans can gather on.

“It’ll be an opportunity for kids throughout the day to throw a ball around or just for people to gather.”

The CyTown project, which was originally announced in the Fall 2022, is intended to be “up and running” by Fall 2027, according to Pollard.

He said, “This is a big moment in time for Iowa State. This is going to be a major attraction not only for the university but also for the city of Ames and for Central Iowa.”

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