Picture this: seventeen thousand Iowans pouring out of Casey's Center at 11 p.m. after a sold-out country concert, every one of them suddenly needing a rideshare on the same three-block stretch of 3rd Street. The surge pricing hits fast. The wait times stretch past forty minutes.

Half your group is standing on one corner; the other half somehow ended up on Court Avenue. A Des Moines party bus rental skips all of that — your group rides in together, stays together through the show, and rolls out the same door when the lights come up. No frantic texts, no splitting the crew, no letting the app decide what the night costs.

This guide is for anyone organizing a group trip to Casey's Center at the Iowa Events Center (233 Center St, Des Moines, IA 50309) — whether you're coordinating an Iowa Wild hockey crowd, busing in a church group for a wrestling tournament weekend, or moving a corporate suite party to a Luke Bryan concert. It covers exactly where a bus drops off, what parking costs, which roads get messy on event nights, and how the venue's policies affect your group from the parking lot to the clear-bag line. The logistics come straight from the Iowa Events Center's own published information — not from a brochure written three seasons ago.

Venue name

Casey's Center (formerly Wells Fargo Arena, renamed July 2025)

Address

233 Center St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Capacity

~17,000 — ranks among top 100 arenas worldwide for concert attendance

Bus & RV parking rate

$52 per vehicle — cashless, pre-purchase recommended via JustPark

Main lot entrance

301–499 Crocker St — off 3rd Street and 5th Avenue

From I-235

Exit 8A eastbound → 3rd Street; Exit 8A westbound → 7th Street

What Is Casey's Center?

Casey's Center, 233 Center Street, Des Moines — downtown Iowa's primary arena for concerts, professional sports, and the state's biggest high school tournaments.

Casey's Center is downtown Des Moines's 17,000-seat arena, owned by Polk County and managed by OVG360. It opened in July 2005 as Wells Fargo Arena and rebranded to its current name in July 2025 following a ten-year naming rights agreement with Casey's, the Midwest convenience chain. The rename is recent enough that plenty of Des Moines locals still call it Wells Fargo — but it's the same building, same address, same loading zones.

Three professional sports franchises play there year-round: the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League, affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves), the Iowa Wild (AHL, affiliated with the Minnesota Wild), and the Iowa Barnstormers (Indoor Football League). Add in the IHSAA State Wrestling Tournament every February, the IGHSAU and IHSAA State Basketball Tournaments in early and mid-March, touring concerts that have included Paul McCartney and Elton John, Monster Jam, Disney On Ice, and UFC — and the arena is rarely dark. It consistently ranks among the top 100 arenas in the world for annual concert attendance, which tells you something about what event nights look like for the surrounding streets.

For groups, that volume is exactly why a single coordinated bus beats a caravan of cars. The sections below walk through the mechanics.

Where Your Bus Drops Off and Picks Up at Casey's Center

Here is the detail most group-trip planning guides gloss over — and it's the one that decides whether your group walks in together or spends fifteen minutes sending location pins to each other in the cold.

The Iowa Events Center's main parking facility sits at 301–499 Crocker Street, with lot entrances accessible from 3rd Street and 5th Avenue. The North Entrance to the arena itself is at the corner of 3rd Street and Crocker Street; the South Entrance is at the corner of 3rd Street and Park Street. Charter bus drop-off runs on the west side of 3rd Street, which puts your group at the North Entrance side — steps from the main gate rather than navigating a surface lot after a 10-minute walk.

For pickup after the event, the venue's official rideshare zone is on the west side of Third Street just south of Court Avenue, operating from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on peak nights. That is the same curbside zone where your bus waits after dropping your group — which is exactly the advantage: your bus is already in position where the venue directs everyone else to look for a ride, while the rideshare queue is stacking up around the corner.

The one-line version: charter bus drop-off is on the west side of 3rd Street, putting your group at the North Entrance of Casey's Center. Pre-purchase your $52 bus parking pass through JustPark before you arrive — the Iowa Events Center is a cashless facility and bus spots are limited. There is no walk from a remote rideshare zone, because the bus drops you at the door.

Confirm the Drop Point When You Book — Here's Why

The Iowa Events Center campus covers Casey's Center, the Community Choice Convention Center, and the EMC Expo Center — three connected buildings sharing the same parking infrastructure but with different pedestrian entries. On a Barnstormers game night the North Entrance is the obvious choice; on a state wrestling weekend with multiple concurrent sessions, the lot staff redirect traffic by the hour. Because the approach and staging zone can shift by event type and crowd size, we confirm your group's exact drop-off point and bus parking assignment for your specific date when you book — so there's no guessing at a blocked entrance when 10,000 people are already filing in.

We always recommend reviewing the official Iowa Events Center directions and parking page before your event, and checking the IHSAA parking map if your trip falls during a state tournament weekend.

Bus Parking at Casey's Center: The Details

Bus and RV parking at the Iowa Events Center runs $52 per vehicle. Standard cars pay $13; large trucks with dually wheels or snow blades pay $26. The facility is fully cashless — no cash accepted at any entrance — and the Iowa Events Center recommends pre-purchasing through JustPark for select events to guarantee a spot.

For concerts and state tournament weekends, do not assume you can sort it out on the day: bus spots are limited, the main lot is sized for 1,300 on-site spaces, and on events drawing 15,000-plus, the closest lots fill within the first hour of opening.

There are also several downtown parking garages within a few blocks that connect to the arena via the Des Moines Skywalk, though these are sized for standard vehicles, not charter buses. The garages most commonly used as overflow for event attendees parking their own cars include 7th & Center (830 6th Ave, roughly a 9-minute walk), 5th & Keo (525 5th Ave, about 10 minutes), and 4th & Grand (400 Grand Ave, about 9 minutes). None of these are options for a full-size charter bus or minibus — that's exactly why booking your group into one bus with a pre-purchased $52 spot in the main lot makes more financial and logistical sense than navigating multiple garage options.

Vehicle type Iowa Events Center lot rate Payment
Cars and standard trucks $13 Cashless — pre-purchase via JustPark
Large trucks (dually, snow blades) $26 Cashless — pre-purchase via JustPark
Buses and RVs $52 Cashless — pre-purchase via JustPark

One detail that catches groups off guard: overnight parking is not available in any Iowa Events Center lot. Vehicles left overnight are towed. For multi-day events like the state wrestling tournament — which runs Thursday through Saturday — plan the arrival and departure windows accordingly, and confirm your bus staging plan for each session when you book.

Getting There: Routes, I-235, and What Event Traffic Actually Looks Like

Casey's Center sits in the heart of downtown Des Moines, which means I-235 is your on-ramp and your headache. I-235 is the busiest highway in Iowa, carrying between 75,000 and 125,000 vehicles per day through the metro — and on a sold-out concert night, the exits nearest the arena fill up fast.

From I-235 eastbound, take Exit 8A to 3rd Street for the most direct approach to the Iowa Events Center main lot. From I-235 westbound, Exit 8A routes you to 7th Street, which feeds down to the arena from the north side. Both approaches work; the 3rd Street approach drops you directly at the Crocker Street lot entrance, while the 7th Street approach adds a couple of blocks but avoids the post-event backup on 3rd.

Here is what event traffic actually looks like from the common group pickup points in the Des Moines metro:

From… Approx. distance Typical drive time (off-peak)
West Des Moines / Jordan Creek ~10 miles 15–20 minutes
Ankeny ~15 miles 20–25 minutes
Urbandale ~8 miles 12–18 minutes
Ames ~35 miles via I-35 S 40–50 minutes
Johnston / Grimes ~12 miles 18–25 minutes
Waukee ~13 miles 18–22 minutes

Those times apply on a normal Tuesday. On a Friday night sellout — state tournament weekend, a big country act, a UFC event — plan for an additional 20 to 40 minutes depending on where I-235 is backing up. The 3rd Street corridor between Grand Avenue and the arena locks up first; the 5th Avenue approach from the north is typically the faster post-event exit.

Your bus handles all of this so your group isn't the one watching the GPS countdown with rising anxiety from a minivan in the left lane.

All the Ways to Get There: An Honest Comparison

Lyft is the official rideshare partner of the Iowa Events Center (use code IOWAEC for 50% off your first two rides). That's a fine deal for a couple. For a group of 20 trying to coordinate five separate Lyft XLs after a hockey game at 10:30 p.m. — less so.

Here's how the options actually stack up.

Option Cost shape Arrive together? Post-event pickup Best group size
Private bus rental One flat rate, split by the group Yes — one vehicle, one arrival Bus waits — no surge, no scramble 15–56
Rideshare (Lyft / Uber) Per car each way + post-event surge No — multiple cars, multiple ETAs Long post-event queue on 3rd Street 1–4 per car
DART bus (D-Line downtown) Per person fare Only if you board together Limited late-night service Any, with schedule constraints
Everyone drives and parks $13/car + gas per car No — caravans split up Lot exit backed up 30+ min post-event 1–2 cars

The honest read: for one or two people, a Lyft with the discount code or free street parking after 9 p.m. is perfectly fine. But the moment your party fills more than two or three cars, the per-person math and the coordination tax tilt sharply toward one bus. A 40-person Iowa Wild hockey group paying $52 for one bus parking spot versus 15 separate cars each paying $13 — plus gas, plus the designated-driver problem — is not a close comparison.

One vehicle, one rate, everyone out the same door at the same time. Call 515-416-4410 to see what that looks like for your date.

Events That Fill the Parking Lot Early — and When to Book

Casey's Center's calendar runs year-round, but several dates create genuine transportation pressure — the kind where the lot fills by the time pre-game starts and rideshare surge pricing kicks in before the opening act even takes the stage. If your event falls into one of these windows, booking your Des Moines charter bus well in advance is not a suggestion; it's the difference between a smooth trip and a very expensive scramble.

Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament (February)

The IHSAA State Traditional Wrestling Tournament lands at Casey's Center each February — four days, multiple sessions per day, and a sold-out arena every single night. The 2026 tournament ran February 18–21. Wrestling is the biggest high school sport in Iowa, and this event draws families and teams from all 99 counties.

Every parking lot within walking distance fills before the opening session, the I-235 exits back up on Thursday morning and don't clear until Saturday night, and by Friday the downtown garages are showing "full" signs before lunch. Groups coming from Ames, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities have booked Des Moines bus rentals for this weekend going back decades. For multi-session day trips — morning weigh-ins, afternoon session, evening finals — one bus handles the whole schedule for a fraction of what a hotel parking garage charges per day.

Book by December for February wrestling weekends.

Iowa High School State Basketball Tournaments (March)

Back-to-back state basketball tournaments in early and mid-March effectively double the wrestling crunch. The IGHSAU girls' tournament runs early March (March 2–7 in 2026) and the IHSAA boys' tournament follows immediately (March 9–13 in 2026). That is a two-week stretch where downtown Des Moines is at full capacity, meters on every street are active, and the city's parking garages are regularly at capacity by session time.

School groups, booster clubs, and family delegations from across Iowa fill every bus available during these weeks. If your school or group is traveling to support a team, book your bus by January — the window is short and Des Moines bus rental availability during tournament season is real.

Major Concerts — Luke Bryan, Zac Brown Band, and Similar Draws

Casey's Center consistently puts up top-100 worldwide concert numbers. Dates like Luke Bryan (June 19, 2026) and Zac Brown Band (November 20, 2026) sell 14,000 to 16,000 tickets, and the post-show rideshare situation on 3rd Street is the stuff Des Moines concert-goers complain about for days afterward. A party bus rental in Des Moines for a concert group keeps the energy up from the first pickup to the last drop-off — the built-in bar, LED lighting, and Bluetooth sound make the ride there and the ride home part of the night, not a stressful footnote.

For high-demand shows, transportation fills up around the same time tickets do. If you're buying floor seats, buy your bus at the same time.

Iowa Wild Hockey Season (October–April)

The Iowa Wild opened the 2025–26 season on October 11 against the Chicago Wolves and play a full home schedule at Casey's Center through spring. AHL hockey draws passionate crowds and the Iowa Wild fanbase is genuinely loyal — home stands in November and January regularly sell the lower bowl. Hockey nights are ideal for a party bus: game ends around 10 p.m., the lot is at full occupancy, and the post-game bar window in the Court Avenue District runs until 2 a.m.

Your group can go straight from the final horn to a downtown bar without anyone pulling a car around. For a Friday or Saturday Wild game with a group of 20 or more, book two to three weeks out minimum during peak months.

Iowa Wolves NBA G League Season (November–April)

The Iowa Wolves announced six home game dates for the 2025–26 season, including early home stands in November against the Noblesville Boom and Windy City Bulls. G League nights are a great entry point for smaller groups who want a professional basketball experience without the NBA ticket price — and because the Wolves are the Minnesota Timberwolves' affiliate, any time a Timberwolves two-way player is in Des Moines for a rehab assignment, game night gets significantly louder. The arena is more intimate on Wolves nights, which makes the parking and rideshare situation more manageable — but it only takes one marquee name on the court to push the lot to capacity fast.

What Size Bus Does Your Group Need?

Casey's Center trips range from a 14-person office group heading to an Iowa Wild game to a 56-seat school charter hauling a booster delegation from Cedar Rapids for the state tournament. Here is how the fleet breaks down for a downtown Des Moines run.

Vehicle Typical seats Best for Key amenities
14-passenger Sprinter limo / Sprinter van Up to 14 Small office groups, VIP packages, birthday nights Premium leather, USB charging, tinted privacy windows
Party bus (15–50 passengers) 15–50 Concert groups, bachelorette nights, birthday parties heading to the show Built-in bar, color-changing LED lighting, premium Bluetooth sound, flat-panel TVs
15–35 passenger minibus 15–35 Mid-size groups, church trips, team travel, school chaperone groups Powerful A/C, plush reclining seats, overhead storage
40–56 passenger charter bus Up to 56 Large school groups, booster clubs, corporate buyouts, state tournament travel Reclining seats, climate control, overhead storage, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restrooms, undercarriage bays

For concert groups wanting the pre-show energy to start before you ever reach 3rd Street, the 15- to 50-passenger party buses come with a full bar setup, color-changing LED lighting, and a premium sound system — the night starts at the pickup address, not the venue door. For larger groups or longer hauls from Ames or Iowa City, a full-size charter bus gives you comfortable reclining seats, overhead storage for gear, and an onboard restroom so nobody's asking to stop on I-35. ADA-accessible vehicles are always available — just let us know before you book.

We offer a massive variety of vehicles, meaning you never have to pay for seats you do not actually need.

Bag Policy and Venue Rules Worth Knowing Before You Go

Casey's Center enforces a clear bag policy for all events. Each guest may bring one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ × 6″ × 12″, or a one-gallon clear ziplock-style bag, plus a small clutch purse no larger than 4.5″ × 6.5″. Medical bags and diaper bags are permitted with additional screening.

Backpacks and non-clear bags of any kind are not allowed past the gates.

One logistical note for groups: the clear-bag check at the entrance gates takes time when everyone is funneling in at once. For concerts that sell 15,000+ tickets, the North and South Entrance lines both move, but arriving 30 to 45 minutes before doors open keeps your group from spending the first song waiting in the security queue. If you store larger bags or gear in the bus's undercarriage bays before heading to the gates, the security process moves faster — everyone walks in with exactly what they're allowed, no fumbling at the door.

The venue has also moved to fully digital ticketing: tickets must be added to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and scanned by tapping your phone on the reader. Printed barcodes no longer work at the gates. For school or church groups where not every attendee is comfortable with mobile ticketing, it's worth confirming the process with your group coordinator well before arrival day — the last thing anyone wants is a standoff at the gate with 40 people behind them.

A Real Group Trip Example

To put numbers behind the planning, here's a recent run similar to what we coordinate. For an Iowa Wild Saturday home game in January, a 32-person booster group from Ankeny booked a 35-passenger minibus. Pickup at 5:30 p.m. from a church parking lot in Ankeny, arriving at the Casey's Center Crocker Street lot by 6:20 p.m. — well before the 7:05 p.m. puck drop.

The bus parking pass was pre-purchased through JustPark at $52. The group walked straight to the North Entrance while cars were still circling the surface lot looking for spaces. After the 10:15 p.m. final buzzer, the bus was waiting on 3rd Street and the group was loaded and heading north on I-235 by 10:45 p.m. — while the rideshare queue on Court Avenue was still 35 minutes deep.

The 5-hour all-inclusive rental: $1,600, or roughly $50 per person. Fifteen separate cars would have paid $13 each in parking plus gas both ways — and someone still would have had to stay sober.

Coming From Out of Town? Des Moines Airport and Hotel Pickups

For state tournament weekends, out-of-town families and teams land at Des Moines International Airport (DSM) (5800 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321), about 7 miles southwest of Casey's Center via Fleur Drive and I-235. A single charter bus picks up your group at baggage claim and takes them straight to the arena — no rental cars, no coordinating an 18-person rideshare pickup at an unfamiliar airport. For groups staying at downtown hotels like the Hilton Des Moines Downtown or the Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel, a short shuttle loop from your hotel block to 3rd Street and back solves the parking problem entirely and keeps everyone on your schedule, not the city's.

Groups coming from Ames on I-35 South, Iowa City on I-80 West, or Waterloo and Cedar Falls on I-380 South and US-30 West frequently book one Des Moines charter bus to consolidate the caravan into a single vehicle — everyone boards at a central meeting spot, the drive becomes part of the event, and nobody is fighting for parking at the end of a long day. Call 515-416-4410 to build a pickup plan that works for where your group is coming from.

Trip Types We Coordinate to Casey's Center

Different groups, same goal: everyone arrives together, sees the show, and gets home without a 45-minute rideshare ordeal. A few of the runs we handle most often for Casey's Center:

  • Concert groups. Party buses for bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations, and friend groups heading to country, rock, or arena pop shows — the bar is stocked, the playlist is running, and the night starts at the curb, not the parking lot.
  • Iowa Wild and Iowa Wolves fan groups. Sports fans and company groups heading to hockey and basketball nights, with the bus staged for the post-game bar run in the Court Avenue District.
  • State tournament chaperone and school groups. Minibuses and charter buses for wrestling, basketball, and volleyball tournament trips — undercarriage storage for signs and gear, reclining seats for the drive home after a long session day.
  • Corporate suite groups. Executive teams moving from DuPont Circle offices or downtown hotels to a Casey's Center suite event without anyone worrying about driving or parking at the end of the night.
  • Church and youth organization groups. Family-friendly events like Disney On Ice, Monster Jam, and the Harlem Globetrotters — one safe, comfortable vehicle, ADA-accessible options available, everyone accounted for from pickup to drop-off.

Booking, Timing, and What to Have Ready

Booking a bus to Casey's Center is straightforward, and having a few details ready speeds up the quote:

  1. Request a quote with your group size, pickup location, event date, and how much time you want on either end for pre-event gathering or post-event stops.
  2. Confirm the vehicle and drop point. We match the right vehicle to your headcount and nail down the drop-off zone and bus parking plan for your specific event.
  3. Pre-purchase your bus parking pass. We'll confirm the JustPark process for your date — the $52 bus parking rate requires advance purchase on busy event nights, and arriving without a pass means scrambling for alternative staging with your whole group on board.

A few timing questions that come up constantly: how early should we arrive? For sold-out concerts and tournament sessions, aim for 45 minutes before doors. For Iowa Wild and Iowa Wolves games, 30 minutes before puck drop or tip-off gives your group time to find seats and grab concessions without rushing.

Can the bus wait during the event? Yes — the vehicle is reserved as a block of hours, so it can hold gear in the undercarriage bays, stay nearby, and be ready exactly when you walk out. You set the post-event pickup time with our team in advance so there's no standing around on 3rd Street at 11 p.m. wondering when your ride is coming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly does a charter bus drop off at Casey's Center?

Charter bus drop-off is on the west side of 3rd Street, placing your group at the North Entrance of Casey's Center at the corner of 3rd Street and Crocker Street. This is distinct from the arena's rideshare pickup zone, which is also on the west side of Third Street just south of Court Avenue on peak event nights. Your bus is already positioned where the venue directs post-event foot traffic — steps from the entrance, not a parking lot walk away.

How much does bus parking cost at Casey's Center?

$52 per bus or RV in the Iowa Events Center lots at 301–499 Crocker Street. The facility is entirely cashless — no cash accepted at any entrance — and parking must be pre-purchased through JustPark for select events. On high-demand nights like state tournament weekends or major concerts, bus spots are limited.

Pre-purchase as soon as your date is confirmed.

How do I get to Casey's Center from I-235?

From I-235 eastbound, use Exit 8A to 3rd Street — this puts you directly on the approach to the Crocker Street lot entrance. From I-235 westbound, Exit 8A routes to 7th Street, which connects south to the arena from the north side of the campus. On event nights, follow parking staff directions once you're in the immediate downtown grid — the approach can be modified for crowd management depending on the event.

What is Casey's Center's bag policy?

Clear bags only, maximum 12″ × 6″ × 12″, or a one-gallon clear ziplock. One small clutch purse no larger than 4.5″ × 6.5″ is also permitted. No backpacks, no non-clear bags.

Medical and child-care bags are allowed with additional screening. For large groups, have everyone confirm their bag setup before leaving the bus — the gate line moves faster when no one is rummaging at the front.

Can a charter bus stay during the event?

Yes. The bus is booked as a block of hours, so it can hold gear and equipment in the undercarriage bays, stay nearby in the lot, and be ready for pickup when your group exits. You set the post-event pickup window with our team before the event starts — so when the lights come up, your bus is right there, not circling for a spot.

When should I book for the Iowa High School State Wrestling or Basketball Tournament?

Book by December for the February wrestling tournament and by January for the March basketball tournaments. These are the highest-demand weekends for Des Moines bus rentals in the entire year — schools and family groups from across Iowa book in blocks, and the right-size vehicles go first. Waiting until two weeks before the tournament typically means higher rates or no availability.

How much does it cost to rent a bus to Casey's Center in Des Moines?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, the date, and your pickup location. As a guide: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Pricing depends on mileage, time of year, and vehicle type — and you will know the exact price before you ever book.

Call 515-416-4410 or use our online tool for an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds.

Is Des Moines International Airport far from Casey's Center?

About 7 miles, via Fleur Drive northeast to I-235 East — typically 15 to 20 minutes in normal traffic. For out-of-town groups flying in for a tournament or concert weekend, a single charter bus pickup at DSM baggage claim and a direct run to the arena or hotel cuts out rental cars, rideshare coordination, and the parking math entirely.

Do you have ADA-accessible buses?

Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are always available. Let our team know your group's needs before your departure date and we will match the right vehicle. ADA parking at the Iowa Events Center is available in the Orange Lot, south of Crocker Street with an entrance off 5th Avenue.

Book Your Casey's Center Bus Today

The right Des Moines bus rental for your Casey's Center trip is just a call away. Whether it's a booster club charter from Ankeny for a Wild home stand, a bachelorette party bus for a sold-out concert night, a school group making the state tournament trek from Iowa City, or a corporate suite shuttle from a downtown hotel — Party Buses Des Moines has the vehicle and the plan ready. With access to a full fleet of party buses, charter buses, minibuses, and Sprinter limos across the Des Moines metro, you book once and your group rides together from pickup to the final horn.

Give us a call any time at 515-416-4410 for an all-inclusive price quote — or use our online tool for instant availability.

Sources & Last Verified

Parking rates, entrance locations, and venue policies at Casey's Center are subject to change by event. Details in this guide verified against venue and partner sources in June 2026. Confirm current parking passes, event-specific lot assignments, and digital ticketing requirements against the official pages before your trip.