DES MOINES, Iowa — A change of location is on the horizon for the Iowa Boys State Basketball Tournament, starting in 2027.

On Tuesday, the Iowa High School Athletic Association an agreement with Iowa State University to move the boys basketball tournament to Hilton Coliseum in Ames. A five-year deal has been reached, with support from Discover Ames.

“We couldn’t be more excited about what this opportunity will offer our student-athletes, schools, and supporters as they experience an elite basketball environment at Hilton and an awesome new tournament community in CyTown and Ames,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said.

The five-day tournament, which has been held in Des Moines since 1963, hosts eight qualifying teams and their fans. The IHSAA says the tourney has averaged nearly 50,000 paid attendees since 2018.

“This is a major win for Iowa State University and our communities’ hotels and restaurants,” Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. “It is a great example of the new economic opportunities that CyTown can bring to the Ames community. This will be the first of many such opportunities our community will have in future years, because of Iowa State University’s investment in CyTown.”

CyTown is a development that will have space for retail, restaurants, common areas, and a hotel. It’s expected to be up and running by 2027.

Future Dates for IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament

• March 8-12, 2027
• March 6-10, 2028
• March 5-9, 2029
• March 4-8, 2030
• March 10-14, 2031