Sioux City unveils new basketball court at Tyson Events Center ahead of Iowa Hawkeyes matchup

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - A new era of basketball is taking shape at the Tyson Events Center, where city leaders unveiled a brand-new basketball court Monday, just one day before the Iowa Hawkeyes are set to take on Virginia Tech.

But the investment goes beyond the hardwood, with city officials hoping the upgrades will help put Sioux City on the map as a destination for major sporting events.

The new court features a two-tone hardwood design with the Sioux City skyline incorporated into the floor. The project also includes new basketball hoops as part of the city’s planned capital improvements.

Jessica Johnson, a project management specialist with the Sioux City Manager’s Office, helped design the court. She said creating something that represented the community was a priority.

“It was important that we wanted to do something very Sioux City. That’s where the skyline came into place,” Johnson said. “And then we wanted to just do something simple but make a statement.”

Johnson said this was the first basketball court she had designed, making the unveiling especially meaningful.

Beyond the design, city officials say the investment could help attract more sporting events and visitors to the area, benefiting local businesses.

“I think this will establish us as a place to be for these kinds of events,” City Manager Mike Collett said. “And when they see the quality of the court and the hoops and what we can put on for an event, I think it’ll speak for itself.”

The Tyson Events Center already has a long history of hosting championship basketball.

According to NAIA co-tournament director Cory Westra, Sioux City has hosted 767 NAIA basketball games since 1998, including 581 at the Tyson Events Center.

The new court will also feature interchangeable floor panels displaying NAIA branding during the organization’s national tournament in March. That tournament will mark a major milestone for Sioux City.

“March of ‘27 marks 30 years of NAIA basketball, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate 30 years than to have this playing surface behind us as a part of the event,” Westra said.

The court will make its game debut Tuesday, Nov. 10, when the Iowa Hawkeyes take on Virginia Tech. The matchup is part of a week of college basketball at the arena, with Iowa’s women’s team also scheduled to play Sunday.

Both games are expected to receive national television coverage on FS1, bringing another opportunity to showcase Sioux City to basketball fans across the country.

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