Esports facility eyes Coralville for development

An esports facility is in the works for Coralville, seeking development of a parcel of land west of Lowe’s Home Center and north of Highway 6. The city of Coralville granted Burlington-based developer, Lucky Pete LLC, a 15-year tax abatement for the facility, contingent on the PUD process and improvements to Highway 6. The city’s primary contact for the project, Justin Myers, of Myers Construction, declined to give any detailed information on the facility, saying formal announcements are on hold “while we are working out the final plans and agreements,” he wrote the CBJ. Coralville city administrator Kelly Hayworth said the facility is still in the early stages of development, but mentioned some elements that would be incorporated into building construction. “The (facility) would include an arena that would have flexible space. That would include retractable stadium seating, so that when there is not a contest going on, you would have flat floor space that people could participate in e-sports themselves. There would also be a restaurant and bar in the facility,” he said, in an email to the CBJ. Coralville city attorney Kevin Olson, at the March 26 council meeting, also noted that the developers plan to construct some trails and a water feature on the lot. “It will be an interesting-looking development, considering what’s been sitting there for a while,” he said. Colony Real Estate Limited Partnership is listed as the original deed holder of the land, which was assessed a year ago at $195,000 and is currently zoned arterial commercial. The property has been vacant for more than 20 years, and the city is eager to promote commercial development along Highway 6. “I think this is going to be really exciting. I don’t think there’s any other type of facility like this in the area,” said mayor Meghann Foster. Coralville's Highway 6 Urban Revitalization Area Plan aims to provide incentives for commercial economic development along Highway 6, thus the esports facility's tax exemption offer. “There’s a lot of improvements that need to be done on Highway 6 to make that (project) work,” said Mr. Olson.

The facility will share an entrance with Lowe’s, but a second entrance is needed and will be constructed off of Highway 6, across from Deer Creek Road. In addition to the facility, two commercial buildings will also be developed on the property. Unlike the esports facility, these buildings will not receive a tax abatement and the city will collect tax revenues from them. “We’ll start the ordinance when the commercial buildings are built,” said Mr. Olson.

What are esports?

Esports, short for electronic sports, is organized competitive-based video game playing. Multiplayer competitions are nothing new, but the advent of online streaming platforms meant players could connect across distances, which exponentially increased its participation numbers. Today’s gaming world includes leagues, teams, tournaments, spectators and sponsorships. Esports facilities – like the national chain Esports Arena – can host large-scale events and tournaments, making them a hub for professional gamers. This month, a national esports tournament organizer, the Fiber Gaming Network (FGN), is sponsoring a virtual esports tournament in Iowa, and one of the Community Hosts is a Johnson County business. The FGN Iowa Clash, a virtual Rocket League tournament, will be open for gamers in schools and communities across Iowa. Co-hosting is the Iowa Communications Alliance (ICA), which represents over 250 community-based broadband providers in Iowa and a dozen other community-based fiber providers across the state. "We are thrilled to be working with the ICA and its members to bring the excitement of esports to communities around Iowa," said Robert Gilbert, CEO of FGN. "Thanks to the investments our partners have made in fiber networks around the state, even gamers in the smallest towns can take part and compete in the growing esports scene." Tournament Community Hosts include: Alpine Communications, Dumont Telephone, Griswold Communications, GRM Networks, Heart of Iowa Communications Coop, Marne Elk Horne Telephone, Mi-Fiber, Minburn Telephone Company, Premier Communications, Preston Telephone, South Slope Communications in North Liberty, and Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association. The FGN Iowa Clash will feature a 3 vs. 3 format and follow a single-elimination setup for its gameplay, and prizes include $4,200 for first place, $2,100 for second place, $900 for third place, and $300 for fourth place for a total of $7,500 in prize money. The tournament will take place April 26-28 and will be open to gamers in schools or communities with a participating Community Host. Registration is open until April 19, and those interested can visit fibergamingnetwork.com/iowaclash. No date was given for the opening of the esports facility in Coralville, and Lucky Pete LLC could not be reached for comment.